Eritrea has labelled UN sanctions imposed on Wednesday as shameful¹, and denied allegations that it arms Islamist militants² in Somalia.

厄立特里亚宣称，联合国星期三对其实行的制裁措施是可耻的，并否认了对索马里伊斯兰教叛乱分子进行武器支援的断言。

Insurgents³ control most of Somalia after a year of intense fighting" width="226" height="170" src="/upimg/091225/4_005732_1.jpg" />
Insurgents control most of Somalia after a year of intense fighting

Eritrea's UK ambassador Tesfamichael Gerahtu told the BBC that the sanctions制裁，处罚 were illegal and would only worsen the problems in the Horn of Africa.

The Security Council imposed an arms embargo武器禁运, travel bans and asset资产 freezes on top Eritrean officials.

Somalia's beleaguered⁵包围的，围困的 UN-backed government welcomed the sanctions.

Islamist insurgents叛乱分子 have asserted control over most of the country, leaving the government with authority in only small parts of the capital, Mogadishu.

US accusations⁶

But Mr Tesfamichael said the accusations made by the country's critics were inconsistent不一致的，前后矛盾的.

"Originally it was said we had soldiers and then later came military support and now all of a sudden突然地，出乎意料地 after certain discussions and opposition⁷ they started to talk about political, military and logistical support," he told the BBC's World Today programme.

"Now we are 100% sure that we have never, never, never supplied military equipment or otherwise to the extremists过激分子 in Somalia."

Eritrea's neighbouring countries and regional blocs⁸ including the African Union had been lobbying游说 for sanctions for most of the year.

The resolution demands that the country stops "arming, training and equipping armed groups and their members, including al-Shabab, that aim to destabilise the region".

As a result of the Security Council vote, Eritrea becomes the first new country to be subjected to UN sanctions since they were imposed on Iran in 2006.

The US said it had sought talks with Eritrea for months, but the country had failed to act on its promises.

The UN has frequently expressed concern about the flow of arms in to Somalia, where hard-line毫不妥协的，立场坚定的 Islamists of al-Shabab沙巴布 and Hizbul-Islam真主伊斯兰教 are battling with government forces for control of the capital Mogadishu.

Somalia has been subject to a UN arms embargo⁴ for many years, but weapons are still freely available in the Mogadishu weapons market.