Eritrea condemns 'illicit, immoral' US sanctions

MOGADISHU, Somalia - Eritrea has condemned sanctions imposed by the US on six targets associated with the Eritrean government and the ruling party in connection with the conflict in Ethiopia.

"This unilateral sanction, that shifts blame to and scapegoats Eritrea on the basis of spurious allegations, is in contravention of international law, and constitutes a flagrant breach of the sovereignty, independence and liberation of peoples and nations," the Information Ministry said in a statement.

It said the "illicit" and "immoral" sanctions are meant to "obstruct enduring solutions" that promote sustainable stability in the Horn of Africa and Ethiopia, and "inculcate suffering and starvation on the population ... to induce political unrest and instability..."

"The people and Government of Eritrea deplore, in letter and spirit, the illicit and unilateral 'sanctions'. They urge all peace and justice loving, sovereign and independent peoples and forces, to lend their support to Eritrea," the statement added.

The comments come after the Biden administration issued its first tranche of sanctions targeting those involved in the Ethiopian conflict.

Eritrea sent its military into northern Ethiopia's northern Tigray region in support of the Ethiopian central government, which has been locked in a conflict with the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF) for over a year.

According to the US State Department, "Eritrea’s destabilizing presence in Ethiopia is prolonging the conflict, posing a significant obstacle to a cessation of hostilities, and threatening the integrity of the Ethiopian state."

Announcing the sanctions, it said credible accounts implicate Eritrean forces in serious human rights abuses, calling on Eritrean forces to immediately withdraw from Ethiopia.

Meanwhile, Ethiopia also denounced the US move, saying the TPLF fired rockets at Eretria, a sovereign country, and "it is the sovereign right of the Eritrean government to respond to imminent danger to its territorial integrity and security."

In a statement, the Foreign Ministry claimed Eritrean forces withdrew from Ethiopia following the declaration of a humanitarian cease-fire by the government in June.

It called on the US to direct sanctions on forces in Tigray for their "destabilizing roles" and requested the US to reverse its decision and take action against TPLF, the "real root cause of the current challenges."

The conflict that began on Nov. 3, 2020 has dramatically escalated with the TPLF forming alliances with other groups opposed to Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, and making major military strides as they close in on the capital of Addis Ababa.