The United States has announced targeted visa restrictions against individuals accused of undermining peace efforts in Ethiopia’s Tigray region.
The measures target hardline members of the Tigray People’s Liberation Front and their immediate family members. U.S. State Department spokesperson Thomas “Tommy” Pigott issued a press statement on June 17 announcing the restrictions.
The decision follows renewed clashes earlier this year between the Tigray Security Forces and the Ethiopian National Defense Forces. These mark the first direct confrontations since the end of the 2020–2022 war.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio authorized the visa restrictions under Section 212(a)(3)(C) of the U.S. Immigration and Nationality Act. The actions aim at those obstructing efforts to resolve the crisis in Tigray.
Pigott noted that rising tensions have threatened to reignite the conflict and have already displaced hundreds of thousands of civilians.
