US ANNOUNCES SANCTIONS AGAINST ETHIOPIAN HARDLINERS AND HEZBOLLAH-AFFILIATED LEBANESE FIGURES
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By; Ganiyat Sunmola
The United States has imposed sanctions on hardline members of the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF), accusing them of actions that threaten Ethiopia’s stability and risk reigniting conflict in the country’s northern region.
In a statement issued on Thursday, the U.S. State Department announced that Secretary of State Marco Rubio had initiated visa restrictions against TPLF hardliners, their immediate family members, and other individuals linked to the ongoing crisis in Tigray.
The U.S. reaffirmed its support for both the Ethiopian and Tigrayan people, stressing its commitment to holding accountable those whose actions undermine peace, security, and stability in the region.
The TPLF, an influential ethnic-nationalist political movement, remains a central figure in tensions that continue to threaten the 2022 Pretoria Peace Agreement, which brought an end to a devastating two-year civil war.
The conflict was largely triggered by growing tensions between the TPLF and the government of Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed following the party’s loss of national political dominance in 2018. The war reportedly claimed about 600,000 lives and pushed the Tigray region to the brink of famine.
Earlier this year, fighters from the Tigray Security Forces (TSF) and the Ethiopian National Defense Forces (ENDF) engaged in clashes, marking their most significant confrontation since hostilities formally ended in 2022.
Separately, the United States also announced sanctions against two Lebanese officials aligned with Hezbollah, along with members of a business network linked to Alaa Hassan Hamieh, a figure already designated by Washington.
According to U.S. authorities, the sanctioned individuals provided support to Hezbollah and used their positions to weaken the authority of the Lebanese government.
Washington argued that efforts which prevent the Lebanese state from exercising full control over its territory undermine the country’s sovereignty and reinforce parallel structures of power that hinder national stability.
The sanctions also target additional associates of Hamieh operating across Lebanon, Syria, Iraq and Oman. U.S. officials allege that these individuals help raise funds, secure contracts and manage front companies that generate financial support for Hezbollah.
In its statement, the State Department described Hezbollah as a major obstacle to Lebanon’s recovery, accusing the group of prioritising Iranian interests over those of Lebanon and perpetuating a cycle of instability and conflict.
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