UK Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood has threatened to ban all Eritrean nationals from entering the UK unless the East African country agrees to accept more of its citizens facing deportation, including foreign national offenders.

Initial measures, which took effect, restrict Eritrean diplomats from travelling more than 60km outside London without permission. The UK will also stop fast-track visas for VIPs.

Eritrea has condemned the move as a political gimmick, accusing the UK of failing to engage in meaningful dialogue and disputing claims about cooperation on returns.

The UK government maintains that Eritrea withdrew its cooperation earlier this year.

However, migration experts have questioned whether the restrictions will be effective. They said that many Eritrean asylum seekers qualify for protection because of repression and forced military conscription in their home country.