DAKAR, Senegal (AP) — Rebels in Congo say the United States has fallen short as a mediator in efforts to end the conflict in the African country's mineral-rich east as the Trump administration seeks to open the region’s critical reserves to the U.S. government and American companies.
According to a letter to U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio from Congolese rebel leader Corneille Nangaa, Washington has failed to pressure Congo’s government over its alleged violations of peace commitments.
The letter, seen by The Associated Press on Saturday, was signed by the Congo River Alliance, which includes the Rwanda-backed M23 rebel group.
Congo and Rwanda agreed last year to a U.S.-mediated peace deal aimed at ending the long-running conflict in eastern Congo, an accord that would define terms of economic partnership involving the three countries and unlock deals on rare earth minerals.
At the time, U.S. President Donald Trump praised the leaders of the two nations — Presidents Felix Tshisekedi of Congo and Paul Kagame of Rwanda. Trump has since often cited his success in negotiating the deal. However, fighting in the region continues, with both rebel and government forces accusing each other of violating peace terms.
The letter to Rubio also criticized the U.S. for sanctioning “actors critical of the authorities in power” in Kinshasa, Congo's capital — a reference to U.S. sanctions on former Congolese President Joseph Kabila last week over his alleged role in funding and supporting to the rebels. Earlier this year, Washington also sanctioned Rwanda's military and four of its senior officials for supporting M23.
“Your administration has neither imposed any sanctions nor issued even a simple warning to the leaders in Kinshasa, whose intransigent and arrogant attitude calls into question the impartiality and neutrality of the American Facilitator/Mediator," the letter said.
"The absence of clearly identifiable corrective measures fuels questions regarding the facilitation’s ability to preserve, over time, the requirements of impartiality and neutrality that are essential to its credibility,” it added.
Congo, the U.S. and U.N. experts accuse Rwanda of backing M23, which has grown from hundreds of members in 2021 to around 6,500 fighters, according to the United Nations.
Eastern Congo has been battered by decades of unrest as government forces fight more than 100 armed groups, the most potent being M23, often over access to its mineral riches. M23 fighters made a major advance into the region early last year, seizing Goma and other key cities as they quickly expanded their presence.
While U.S. mediation has helped cool regional tension it has not stopped the escalating fighting on the ground, Kristof Titeca, a professor at the University of Antwerp specialized in governance and conflict in Central Africa, told the AP.
Mwanamilongo reported from Bonn, Germany.
FILE - Rebel leader of group of Alliance Fleuve Congo (AFC) including M23, Corneille Nangaa, addresses a news conference in Goma, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Jan. 30, 2025. (AP Photo/Brian Inganga, File)
BEREA, Ohio (AP) — Before Spencer Fano gets to go against Myles Garrett and Mason Graham during the Cleveland Browns' offseason workouts, the offensive tackle is lining up against a familiar opponent this weekend during rookie minicamp.
His older brother, Logan.
While Spencer's draft suspense ended pretty quickly, when he was selected by the Browns as the ninth overall pick, Logan was undrafted. The defensive end received a couple of offers before deciding that the Browns were the best fit.
“I feel like it feels a lot like it was at Utah, but then I look and see we have Browns jerseys on. So I don’t know. It’s so cool,” Spencer Fano said. “Obviously I’m freaking ecstatic. You hear all these stories of how dudes will start to struggle because they feel like they’re alone. It’s hard to feel alone with the dude that I’ve lived with my entire life. Now he’s just a few doors down in the hotel."
Even though the Fano brothers have taken lots of snaps against each other over the years, getting to do it on an NFL practice field on Friday and Saturday was certainly a milestone.
“I mean this is an NFL team. There’s just another level to it that makes you feel like, man, we’re doing it,” said Logan Fano, who is two years older.
Logan began his career at BYU but transferred to Utah in 2023 to join his younger brother. Even though he started 23 games at Utah, including all 11 he played in last season, and earned second-team honors on the All-Big 12 team in 2025, he went undrafted.
He had three ACL injuries in seven years, including two to the right knee, and was limited during the NFL scouting combine because of a hamstring injury.
The thought did cross both brothers' minds that they could drafted by the same team. This ended up being the second-best result.
Spencer Fano will be under the spotlight more during offseason workouts and training camp as the projected starting left tackle on a rebuilt Browns offensive line.
Coach Todd Monken said the acclimation period with Spencer has gone well so far.
“He was fine. I mean, everything was fine. Again, I’ll have a better idea once we watch the tape," Monken said after Friday's practice. "But you can certainly see his diligence. I mean, I didn’t see anything that would have made me think any differently of him as a player.”
While Spencer Fano's roster shot is assured, Logan Fano will need to work his way from the bottom. He is a speedy edge rusher with good hands and shoulder work to get through contact.
The good thing is he can still continue to get pointers from his younger brother.
“Spencer is the most athletic tackle I’ve ever seen,” Logan said. “There’s some guys, they are really strong but they’re not that fast, or they’re really fast but they’re kind of lightweight. He’s a mix of everything. Good feet, good hands, he’s strong and it makes it hard for guys like me, fast guys like me to try to get around him. So I’ve got to find different ways to make it work.”
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Cleveland Browns tackle Spencer Fano, center, participates in a drill during the NFL football team's rookie minicamp, Friday, May 8, 2026, in Berea, Ohio. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)
Cleveland Browns tackle Spencer Fano (55) and his brother, defensive end Logan Fano (97) talk with the media after the NFL football team's rookie minicamp, Friday, May 8, 2026, in Berea, Ohio. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)
Cleveland Browns tackle Spencer Fano (55) and his brother, defensive end Logan Fano, right, talk after the NFL football team's rookie minicamp, Friday, May 8, 2026, in Berea, Ohio. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)
Brothers, Cleveland Browns defensive end Logan Fano (97) and tackle Spencer Fano, right, during the NFL football team's rookie minicamp, Friday, May 8, 2026, in Berea, Ohio. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)
