U.S. strongly condemns TPLF for attacking Eritrea, appreciates Eritrea's restraint

U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo

U.S. condemns Tigrayan leaders for attacking Eritrea

By Reuters Staff 

U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Tuesday condemned the forces of Ethiopia’s rebellious Tigray region for firing rockets at the capital of neighbouring nation Eritrea over the weekend in a major escalation of a two-week conflict.

“We urge the TPLF (Tigray People’s Liberation Front) and the Ethiopian authorities to take immediate steps to de-escalate the conflict, restore peace, and protect civilians,” he tweeted.

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The United States Condemns the Attack on Eritrea by the Tigray People’s Liberation Front

PRESS STATEMENT

MICHAEL R. POMPEO, SECRETARY OF STATE

NOVEMBER 17, 2020

The United States strongly condemns the attack carried out by the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) on the airport in Asmara, Eritrea, on November 14. We are deeply concerned by this blatant attempt by the TPLF to cause regional instability by expanding its conflict with Ethiopian authorities to neighboring countries. We also continue to denounce the TPLF’s November 13 missile attacks on the Bahir Dar and Gondar airports in Ethiopia.

We strongly urge the TPLF and the Ethiopian authorities to take immediate steps to de-escalate the conflict, restore peace, and protect civilians. We appreciate Eritrea’s restraint, which has helped prevent further spreading of the conflict. Humanitarian workers should be given safe passage to provide assistance to vulnerable groups. Civilians, including U.S. citizens, should be protected from harm and be provided with humanitarian assistance and safe passage out of the conflict zones. Communications services in the Tigray region should be restored immediately in part to allow independent reporting on the situation and to allow for communication with civilians, including U.S. nationals, in the Tigray region.

We strongly condemn the attack by the Tigray People’s Liberation Front against Eritrea and the attempt to internationalize the conflict. We urge the TPLF and the Ethiopian authorities to take immediate steps to de-escalate the conflict, restore peace, and protect civilians.

— Secretary Pompeo (@SecPompeo) November 17, 2020

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