Washington [US], September 20: The United States has lifted sanctions on Eritrea, with the Department of State saying President Donald Trump had chosen not to renew the 2021 measure targeting the country on the strategic Red Sea, "to advance US regional interests".
Eritrea's Horn of Africa location could be key amid the ongoing US-Israel war on Iran, as the Red Sea has become a key oil shipping route with the Strait of Hormuz blocked.
However, shipping through the Bab al-Mandeb strait has come under increasing pressure due to recent Houthi advances in Yemen against forces of the country's internationally recognised government. The administration of former US President Joe Biden imposed the sanctions in November 2021, which targeted the Eritrean forces and President Isaias Afwerki's party, the People's Front for Democracy and Justice, as well as other players in the state. Eritrean troops were accused of committing atrocities during the conflict in Ethiopia's Tigray region. (Agencies)
Source: Fijian Broadcasting Cooperation
