The UN Security Council is to impose sanctions on Eritrea for supporting Islamist insurgents in neighbouring Somalia.

The UN accuses Eritrea of supplying al-Shabaab rebels with funds and arms. The rebels, who are seeking to topple a UN-backed transitional government in Somalia, already control large parts of the country. The Security Council is expected to impose an arms embargo, asset freezes and travel bans for senior politicians and army officers. A leaked draft of the UN resolution also calls on Eritrea to withdraw its troops from the border with Djibouti over which the two countries have been involved in a long-running conflict.

Eritrea's flag (Wikipedia)