Eritrea expels US, European, Canadian UN staff - Officials

Eritrea has ordered the expulsion of U.S., Canadian, Russian and European staff of the U.N. peacekeeping mission that monitors the tense border with neighboring Ethiopia, U.N. officials said Wednesday.

In a letter sent to the U.N. Mission in Ethiopia and Eritrea, the staff have 10 days to leave the Horn of Africa nation, said a Western diplomat who saw a copy of the letter. No reason was given for the expulsion.

Two weeks ago the U.N. threatened to impose sanctions if Eritrea fails to ease restrictions imposed on peacekeepers.

Full story (AP/ST) 7 Dec 2005.