Rwanda has said international sanctions will reduce the likelihood of peace with M23 rebels in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), after the United Kingdom said it would pause some bilateral aid and impose other diplomatic sanctions on Kigali.

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

The UK will soon impose sanctions on Rwanda over its alleged support for the M23 rebel group, which has seized territory in eastern Congo, including key cities and mineral-rich areas. Britain will introduce sanctions soon against Rwanda over fighting in neighbouring Congo, a minister in the UK Foreign Office told Reuters on Monday.

Britain on Tuesday said it would pause some bilateral aid to Rwanda over its role in the conflict in neighbouring Congo. A statement from the British government said that until there was significant progress in ending hostilities and the withdrawal of all Rwanda Defence Forces from Congolese territory,

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.