Britain on Tuesday said it would pause some bilateral aid to Rwanda and impose other diplomatic sanctions on Kigali over its role in the conflict in neighbouring Congo, a move Kigali termed "punitive".

The UK says it will also suspend future defense training assistance and demands that Kigali withdraw its troops from Congo.

Rwanda suspended development cooperation with Belgium for trying to “sabotage” its access to financing amid disagreements over its role in the conflict in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo.

Britain will introduce sanctions soon against Rwanda over fighting in neighbouring Congo, a minister in the UK Foreign Office told Reuters on Monday.

International sanctions against Rwanda will reduce the incentive for Kinshasa to engage in peace talks with M23 rebels who have made lightning advances in eastern Congo this year, a proscribed Rwandan minister has said.

The UK's decision to suspend some aid to Rwanda is "punitive", authorities in the East African country have said. In a statement, the UK said it was against Rwanda's support for the M23, a rebel group that has captured swathes of eastern Democratic Republic of Congo in a deadly uprising.

U.K. authorities are punishing Rwanda over its support of the rebels who now control two major cities in eastern Congo