U.N. says any forced return of Eritrean refugees 'absolutely unacceptable'

GENEVA (Reuters) - The United Nations refugee agency said on Friday that any forced return of Eritrean refugees currently in Ethiopia back to their homeland would be "absolutely unacceptable".

"These are indeed disturbing reports that we are receiving as well," Babar Baloch, spokesman for the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees said at a news conference in Geneva, referring to reports that refugees were being taken out of Addis Ababa. "While we cannot speculate at this time, any refoulement would be absolutely unacceptable," he said.