Eritrea Government Blames US for Deadly Migrant Boat Disaster

Eritrea’s government has launched a scathing attack on the US, blaming it for the deaths of some 300 migrants who were killed as a ship sank off the Italian island of Lampedusa a week ago.

Eritrea's government has launched a scathing attack on the US, blaming it for the deaths of some 300 migrants who were killed as a ship sank off the Italian island of Lampedusa a week ago.

“The prime responsibility for the gross loss of human life... squarely rests on the US administration that assigns agents of international and regional bodies, in addition to deploying various officials and spy agencies of different governments,” the government said in a statement released late Wednesday.

It did not clarify specifically how the US was responsible.

Asmara, Eritrea’s capital, has a history of accusing the CIA of attempting to damage the country on account of its close vicinity to US ally Ethiopia.

Eritrea broke away from Ethiopia in 1991.