The United States announced sanctions against a Rwandan official and a Rwandan-backed rebel in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo over a rapidly expanding war in the area.

On Thursday, the departments of State and Treasury announced sanctions against Rwandan Minister of State for Regional Integration James Kabarebe and Lawrence Kanyuka Kingston, spokesman for the Rwandan-backed M23 and the Congo River Alliance. Two companies linked to Kanyuka, the U.K.-based Kingston Fresh and Paris-based Kingston Holding, were also sanctioned.