The United States set sanctions Tuesday on two top officials of the M23 rebels in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, saying they both made use of child soldiers and singled out children as targets. The US Treasury said Baudoin Ngaruye and Innocent Kaina are senior leaders of the Mouvement du 23 Mars (M23) militants, who control part of DR Congo's turbulent east.

The Treasury said they were listed under US financial sanctions "for their involvement in the recruitment and use of child soldiers in the conflict in the DRC and for being leaders of a group that is impeding the disarmament, repatriation, or resettlement of combatants." It also accused Ngaruye of targeting children in the conflict in DR Congo, "including through killing, maiming, and sexual violence which violate international law."

Copyright Agence France-Presse, 2012