US official condemns violence in Tigray, warns of new sanctions

US legislators call for action amid reports of gang rapes, ethnic cleansing and war crimes by Ethiopian, Eritrean forces.

A top United States official said the Biden administration is preparing to impose additional sanctions on Ethiopia and Eritrea if attacks against civilians in the Tigray region continue, and is reviewing whether war crimes have been committed. “The violence in Tigray is horrifying. It shocks the conscience,” US Assistant Secretary of State Robert Godec said on Thursday. The US has called on parties to end the conflict, allow humanitarian access and halt human rights abuses. “If we do not see immediate progress on these fronts,” Godec said, “we will be imposing additional sanctions.”