US to sanction Thai officials over deportation of Uyghurs to China

WASHINGTON, March 14 (Reuters) - U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced sanctions against officials from Thailand, a U.S. ally, for their role in deporting at least 40 Uyghurs to China, where Washington says the members of the Muslim group will face persecution.

The U.S. is "committed to combating China's efforts to pressure governments to forcibly return Uyghurs and other groups to China, where they are subject to torture and enforced disappearances," the State Department said in a statement on Friday.