The US Government has announced visa restrictions against members of the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) and their immediate family members for their alleged complicity in undermining the resolution to the crisis in the Tigray region.
In a statement attributed to the Department of State’s Spokesperson Thomas Pigott, the US said the rising tensions between Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) hardliners and the Ethiopian government have threatened to reignite the conflict in northern Ethiopia and undermine peace and security across the entire region.
“Today, pursuant to his authority under Section 212(a)(3)(C) of the Immigration and Nationality Act, Secretary Rubio is taking steps to impose visa restrictions on hardline members of the TPLF and their immediate family members. This visa restriction policy targets individuals who are responsible for, or complicit in, undermining the resolution to the crisis in the Tigray region. The United States will continue to stand with the Ethiopian people, including the people of Tigray, who want to live in peace and dignity. We will continue to use all tools available to expose and promote accountability for TPLF officials and other individuals who threaten that peace and stability in the region,” the statement reads.
Earlier this year, members of the Tigray Security Forces (TSF) clashed with Ethiopian National Defense Forces (ENDF), their first direct engagement since the end of the 2020-2022 conflict, which resulted in the loss of 600,000 lives and brought the region to the brink of famine.
During that period, hundreds of thousands in Tigray were killed in a conflict that was marked by widespread human rights violations, including conflict-related sexual violence.
Hundreds of thousands of civilians across northern Ethiopia have also been reported to have fled their homes, fearing a return to war.
The renewed threat of conflict follows years of devastating fighting and the failure of the post-war recovery.
Last month, Refugee International called on the African Union to join in calls by the EU and the UK to exert pressure on Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed and Tigrayan officials to step back from the brink of war, and urged the US to pressure all parties to uphold the 2022 Pretoria Agreement, which sets out conditions for the return of IDPs, and return to political dialogue.
The 2022 Pretoria Agreement (formally the Agreement for Lasting Peace through a Permanent Cessation of Hostilities) was signed on November 2, 2022, halting the devastating two-year Tigray War between the Ethiopian federal government and the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF).
It mandated an immediate end to fighting, disarmament of Tigrayan forces, and the restoration of federal authority in the region.
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