The U.S. will deny visas to ICC investigators looking into alleged U.S. war crimes in Afghanistan

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo announced on Friday that the United States will deny or revoke visas for International Criminal Court staff who are involved in an investigation into alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity perpetrated by U.S. troops in Afghanistan that launched in 2017.

"The ICC is attacking America’s rule of law," Pompeo told reporters.

The secretary also said that the U.S. is prepared to take further action against the ICC, including imposing economic sanctions. The ICC responded to Pompeo’s comments and said it will continue the investigation regardless. Richard Dicker, the international justice director at Human Rights Watch, called the U.S. decision "a naked attempt to bully judges and impede justice for victims in Afghanistan."

Pompeo said the U.S. has never joined the ICC "because of its broad unaccountable prosecutorial powers" and the threat it poses to American national sovereignty, The Guardian reported.

"We are determined to protect American and allied civilian personnel from living in fear of unjust prosecution for actions taken to defend our great nation," he said.