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Tigray Conflict:
A Timeline Of Atrocities
Events that led to “Operation law enforcement”
1974 – 2020: Understanding the historical background leading to Operation law enforcement
The fall of the Derg dictatorship (1974-1987) and People’s Democratic Republic of Ethiopia government (1987-1991) under the coalition forces under Ethiopian People’s Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF), signalled a new era for Ethiopia. The 1994 constitution created the federalist system in Ethiopia. The constitution states that Ethiopia would be divided into ten ethnolinguistic regions as a way to address past injustices of ethnic marginalisation and national identity issues. Additionally, ethnic groups have the right to self-determination. Theoretically, the ethno-federalist system aimed to strengthen regional states so that they could serve as a check and balance to the central government.
In the beginning, the EPRDF, a coalition government composed of ethnic-affiliated political parties, Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF), Amhara Democratic Party (ADP), Oromo Democratic Party (ODP), and Southern Ethiopian People’s Democratic Movement (SEPDM), made significant progress. Ethiopia became more democratic, modernised the economy, reduced poverty rates, and regularised the elections.
As time progressed, the EPRDF slowly shifted towards becoming an illiberal democracy, and later, an authoritarian government. TPLF dominated the political scene with Tigray region benefiting the most from the 29 years in which EPRDF maintained power. The theory that the regional government would act as a check and balance to the central government proved to be inaccurate. The regional governments remain weak, ineffective and utterly dependent on the central government. Essentially, Ethiopia was only a multiparty government on paper. The federalist system also did not solve the ethnic tension between the major groups – Omoro, Amhara, and Tigray. The tension between Islam and Christianity also complicated the federalist system.
The growing frustration with the government led to mass protests in 2005, 2014 and 2016 -18. In addition to protesting the political and economic marginalisation, they disapproved of the endemic corruption and entitlement. The protests were dealt with in brutal force by the Ethiopian police and military. Human rights organisations have documented instances of security forces using grenades and live bullets. Critics of the government were detained, arrested, and charged with various offences including terrorism, and sedition. Extrajudicial killings of opposition leaders and critics increased with many of their cases not solved.
The election of PM Ahmed Abiy to power in June 2018 hailed a new era for Ethiopia, similar to EPRDF in 1991. Like EPRDF, PM Abiy started the democratisation process with the release of thousands of political prisoners, created a joint consultative body made up of representatives of all political groups, and normalised relations with Eritrea, which led to his Nobel Peace Prize. PM Abiy disbanded the EPRDF and created the Prosperity Party. This coalition party included the three out of the four founding political parties and also added smaller ethno-affiliated political parties. He noted that the new political party is a “crucial step in harnessing our energy to work towards a shared vision.” Moreover, he stated that the appointment to any government position would be based on merit rather than based on balancing ethnic groups as the EPRDF had done.
The changes by PM Abiy threatened the status quo that the TPLF had created over the last two and a half decades. The TPLF refused to join the Prosperity Party, saying that the party will bring back the authoritarian one-party system that they had fought to bring down. Additionally, they objected to moves by PM Abiy to remove TPLF “old guard” from high ranking government positions. The tensions between PM Abiy and TPLF remained at minimal levels until March 2020 when the parliamentary and presidential elections were postponed due to COVID-19.
March 2020: Ethiopia’s election board postpones election scheduled for August
The National Election Board of Ethiopia (NEBE), temporarily postponed the national and regional elections scheduled for August. The national body cited COVID-19 concerns as the reason for the postponement of the election.
The Tigrayan regional government did not approve the NEBE decision to postpone the election. Legislators from Tigray, including the Speaker of the Upper House, withdrew from the national parliament in protest.
9 September 2020: Tigray hold regional election, Ethiopian government calls it illegal
In defiance, the Tigrayans held an election for regional government. The elections saw the TPLF win 98% of the votes. Following the election, which had no election observers, the regional legislators declared that the Addis Ababa government lacked the legitimacy to govern the country, therefore, they do not recognise it.
In March, the national election board postponed all regional and national elections due to COVID-19 pandemic. The Ethiopian government deemed the election “illegal” and “unconstitutional.”
The House of Federation (HoF), which is Ethiopia’s Upper House of Parliament, voted to withhold budget subsidies to the Tigray regional government. The move was unsurprising as the HoF is filled with PM Abiy’s allies.
This is the latest in an increasingly tense situation between PM Abiy and the Tigray regional government. Last month, the Tigray people held an election for local government, a move that was viewed as “illegal” and “unconstitutional” by the prime minister. The election came after the central government announced their decision to postpone national and regional elections, citing COVID-19 precaution, an excuse that TPLF rejected. TPLF leadership viewed the move as a way for PM Abiy of re-centralising the government.
The effects of the budget cuts on the Tigray region has been questioned. Previously, the Ethiopian government said that would by-pass the executive and regional government and would channel the budget to lower government. One analyst says that the buts will affect both sides. “Tigray has a big tax base and relatively robust manufacturing base…An economic siege by the federal government would likely backfire, as it would create solidarity between the people and the government in the face of a perceived threat by the central government.”
30 October 2020: TPLF reject PM Abiy’s appointment of a regional leader
In an escalation of events, PM Abiy appointed Brigadier General Jamal Mohamed, as the new leader of the Tigray region. As expected, the TPLF has rejected the move, going a step further by blocking him from taking office in the region. The Brig-Gen travelled to the region on 29 November and was forced to fly back to Addis Ababa. The government nor the military have commented on the incident.
In a televised statement, the President of Tigray region, Debretsion Gebremichael, assured its people that their military is prepared to address any situation that might arise. He added that the Ethiopian government stopped support to the region to avenge the region’s decision to hold elections. The president noted that the Ethiopian forces have a standby military order to attack the region.
Timeline
4 November 2020: PM Abiy announced the “law enforcement operation” in Tigray region
Prime Minister Abiy announces the “law enforcement’ operation, as well as a state of emergency, in the Tigray region. In a statement, the Ethiopian government said that the “situation has reached a level where it cannot be prevented and controlled through a regular law enforcement mechanism.” The operation aims to attack Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) safe havens through airstrikes and ground operation. PM Abiy noted that the operation is a response to the attack by TPLF on a military base, which killed soldiers.
5 November 2020: US urges de-escalation of events in Ethiopia
A day after the Ethiopian military began its offensive operations in Tigray, the US has called for the de-escalation of events. Ethiopia’s ally has strongly encouraged “all parties to prioritise civilian safety and security.”
7 November 2020: IGAD calls for de-escalation of tensions in Tigray
The Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) expressed their concern over the ongoing conflict in Tigray. The regional institution called for both sides to show restraint and work together to deescalate the tensions.
8 November 2020: Key government officials fired as the Tigray conflict escalates
Prime Minister Abiy has fired the army chief, head of intelligence and foreign affairs minister. The announcement was made on Twitter with no explanation for the sacking of the officials. The Deputy Prime Minister, Demeke Mekonnen, has been appointed as the foreign minister, Dirhau Jula promoted to army chief of staff from Deputy Army Chief and Temesgen Tiruneh, who served as the president of the Amhara region, is the new intelligence chief.
The new changes come as the country engages in a military battle with the Tigray region. The Ethiopian military has conducted airstrikes on the Tigray region capital, Mekele. As the troops move towards the capital, the government has shut down all communication masks, making it very difficult to get accurate information on the humanitarian crisis.
8 November 2020: Key government officials fired as the Tigray conflict escalates
Prime Minister Abiy has fired the army chief, head of intelligence and foreign affairs minister. The announcement was made on Twitter with no explanation for the sacking of the officials. The Deputy Prime Minister, Demeke Mekonnen, has been appointed as the foreign minister, Dirhau Jula promoted to army chief of staff from Deputy Army Chief and Temesgen Tiruneh, who served as the president of the Amhara region, is the new intelligence chief.
The new changes come as the country engages in a military battle with the Tigray region. The Ethiopian military has conducted airstrikes on the Tigray region capital, Mekele. As the troops move towards the capital, the government has shut down all communication masks, making it very difficult to get accurate information on the humanitarian crisis.
Amnesty International says photo and video evidence shows scores killed and wounded in knife and machete attacks in Mai-Kadra town, western Tigray state. The evidence shows bodies being carried away by civilians on stretchers. Witnesses have claimed that the perpetrators are forces loyal to the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF).
10 November 2020: African Union urges ceasefire in Tigray region
In a statement, the AU Commission Chairperson, Moussa Faki Mahamat, appealed for the immediate cessation of conflict in the Tigray region. He called for both parties to “respect human rights and ensure the protection of civilians.”
The statement comes a week after Ethiopia announced the military-led “operation law enforcement” which aims to deal with the elements of the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) that the government believes are sowing seeds of sedition.
13 November 2020: PM Abiy attempts again to appoint a new Tigray region head
PM Abiy has appointed Dr Mulu Nega as the new Chief Executive of the Tigray Regional State. In a tweet, the PM said, “On the basis of the decision of the House of Federation and the Council of Ministers Regulation Concerning the Provision Administration of the Tigray National Regional State, Dr Mulu Nega has been appointed as the Chief Executive of the Tigray Regional State.”
On 30 October, the president had attempted to do the same thing, but TPFL sent the military general back to Addis Ababa. The election of Dr Mulu challenges the presidency of Debretsion Gebremichael who was elected in the September regional elections that the federal government termed “illegal.” The government has issued an arrest warrant against Debretsion and other TPLF leaders for “endangering the country’s existence” and “trying to erode the constitution.”
14 November 2020: Tigray People’s Liberation Front launched rockets in Eritrea
In an escalation of events, the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) launched at least two rockets into Eritrea’s capital of Asmara, and Gondar. Local reports indicate that the TPLF is targeting two airports in Asmara which partially damaged the airport in Gondar. A doctor in Eritrea told AFP that the attack resulted in the death of 2 military personnel and another 15 were injured in Gondar. The TPLF claimed that Eritrea, a once bitter rival of Ethiopia, was helping PM Abiy in suppressing their liberation movement.
Eritrea and TPLF have had a strenuous relationship as they share a border. A dispute over territory along the border caused a war between Ethiopia and Eritrea from 1998 and 2000, with the town of Badme as the primary source of contention. Ethiopia’s normalisation of relations with Eritrea was a slap on the face for the TPLF. The leadership called the PM’s friendship with the Eritrean president as “unprincipled.” PM has accused the TPLF of instigating problems by wearing similar military uniforms to Eritrea and implicating the government of “false claims of aggression against the people of Tigray.
16 November 2020: AU, regional leaders, urge for peace in Ethiopia
Various Eastern and Horn of African presidents, as well as the AU, have called for peace in Ethiopia. Kenyan president urged the fighting parties to find a “peaceful means to end the crisis.” He added that the conflict within the country could impact the region since Ethiopia and Kenya have long served as “anchor states for regional peace and stability.” Uganda has offered to mediate the conflict; a role it frequently plays in regional conflicts. Ethiopia’s deputy prime minister met with the Ugandan President, Yoweri Museveni.
16 November 2020: Ethiopia launches airstrikes on Tigray region
The Ethiopian government conducted airstrikes on Mekele, the capital city of the Tigray region. Redwan Hussain, the spokesperson of the newly formed emergency task force on Tigray, said they hit military targets while the army engaged in an armed confrontation with the rebels. As the crisis worsens, the military intensified precision airstrikes in the region in an attempted to squash the TPFL rebels
16 November 2020: AU fires Tigrayan security chief on Ethiopia’s behest
Responding to rumblings on social media, the AU confirmed the contract of the AU security chief, Gen Gebre Egziabher Mabratu Melese, was terminated a week prior. The statement further states that Ethiopia’s request influenced the decision. The AU maintained that they could not keep the General with the knowledge that his government no longer trusted the officer. “The commission is responsible for the safety and security of the personnel. It is clear that this role cannot be entrusted to an individual, who remains a serving national military officer, and in whom his national hierarchy withdrew its full trust and support.” Mahamat Zene Moussa has been appointed as the acting security chief.
The security chief was supposed to retire in June 2020, but his contract was extended as the AU found his replacement. The Ethiopian government also issued an arrest warrant for him and other top TPLF leadership including the Tigray president Debrestion Gebremicheal, and Ethiopian military chiefs Tadesse Werede Tesfaye and Yohannes Goldegiorgis.
17 November 2020: PM Abiy promises “final” offensive against TPLF
As the deadline for Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) to surrender expires, Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed warned the “final and crucial” military operation would soon be launched. He announced the military plans through a Facebook post. A few days earlier, the Ethiopian Minister in charge of democratisation, Zadig Abraha, justified the airstrikes, adding that the TPLF “raided our Northern Command, it looted our artillery…surrounded our soldiers and took hostages with them.” He said that for the war to end, the rebels must adhere to the conditions spelt out by the government, including handing over the top leadership.
For the last two weeks, the Ethiopian military has been conducting devastating airstrikes on TPLF bases in their region. Foreigners, mostly from international organisations working in Mekele, have fled to Addis Ababa for safety. Though the government has denied reports, hundreds of civilians are reportedly killed based on estimates by news organisations and NGOs. Amnesty International stated that “scores and likely hundreds of people were stabbed or hacked to death” in the town of Mai-kadra on Monday alone. The constant airstrikes have led thousands of Ethiopians to flee to Sudan for safety. So far, the Ethiopian government/military taskforce for Tigray have claimed to have liberated several towns from the TPLF. The current situation in Tigray is that there is no electricity, telecommunication has been blocked, while lack of access to fuel and cash have hampered humanitarian efforts. To make matters worse, the internet services in the region have been shut down.
17 November 2020: UNHCR warns of a “full-scale humanitarian crisis” in Ethiopia
As the crisis intensifies, the UNHCR warms of a looming “full-scale humanitarian crisis” in Ethiopia. Approximately 27,000 people have fled the heavy fighting to seek refuge in Sudan. UNHCR spokesperson Babar Baloch stated that the agency is “on standby to provide assistance in Tigray when access and security allow.” OCHA, another UN Agency, through its spokesperson, stated that the organisation and its partners are “supporting the Sudanese government in its response, ramping up humanitarian assistance at the borders as the needs continue to grow.” He also noted that they would “try to prepare the best way possible.”
The now-refugees are sharing their stories of atrocities committed towards them by the military. One refugee said that military officers attacked his town with their tanks and the civilians only had knives and sticks to defend themselves with.
PM Abiy has appealed to the refugees to return home as the war is about to end. Analysts disagree with the PM statement. The TPLF have a sophisticated arsenal and a massive militia, therefore the conflict can drag on for some time.
17 November 2020: “WHO director-general works as TPLF diplomat,” Ethiopian officials say
An Ethiopian official claims that the WHO director-general, Tedros Adhanom, has been “fully engaged in soliciting diplomatic and military support” for the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF). Previously, Tedros, who had served as Ethiopia’s Health Minister (2005 – 2012) and Foreign Affairs Minister (2012-2016), was allegedly a member of the powerful Executive Committee. The official, who chose to speak as long as his identity remains secret, told the Turkish newspaper, Anadolu Agency, that the Ethiopian military has been aware of Tedros’ activities, especially his lobbying efforts in the UN to “exert pressure on the Ethiopian government to unconditionally stop its military action against TPLF.” The official further stated that Mr Tedros has been soliciting military support in Egypt. “To ally with Egypt, which had been bent on destabilising Ethiopia for decades and aborting construction of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD), is tantamount to treason,” he added.
18 November 2020: Ethiopia disarms Tigrayan peacekeepers part of AU Mission in Somalia
Ethiopia has confirmed reports that Tigrayan peacekeepers part of the AU Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) were disarmed. The government claimed the exercise was done purely based on security issues, rather than ethnicity. Local reports indicate between 200 and 300 Tigrayans were disarmed.
The disarmament of the soldiers puts more pressure on AMISOM who are battling the insurgent group Al-Shabaab in Somalia. The group has been increasing the number of attacks, especially planting of improvised explosive devices (IEDs) on roads frequently used by AMISOM and Somali security forces. Analysts question whether the disarmament will impact the ongoing operations by AMISOM.
18 November 2020: TPLF, Ethiopian Army claim military gains in Tigray conflict
Both sides are claiming “military gains” as Ethiopian troops proceed towards Tigray’s capital of Mekele. The Ethiopian military has continued with air raids as the troops march towards the regional capital. Ethiopia’s army chief said that they are “winning on all fronts” and TPLF troops were “in a state of desperation.
TPLF remained determined to keep fighting, with their leaders refusing to listen to the government’s command to surrender. A local official is quoted saying “Tigray is now hell to its enemies.” Tigrayan president, Debretsion Gebremichael, announced that TPLF is “inflicting heavy defeats on all fronts against the forces that came to attack us.”
The international community is calling for calm in Ethiopia. The UN has offered to mediate the recent tensions, but the Ethiopian government has rejected the move. The international body warns that a “humanitarian disaster is unfolding.” Some organisations claim that the roads are blocked, and the airport is closed, making it difficult for aid groups to bring humanitarian assistance to the Tigray region.
20 November 2020: TPLF fire rockets to Amhara region in Ethiopia, no damages reported
Local reports indicate that suspected Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) PLF rockets were fired on Bahir Dir town in Amhara region at approximately 1:40 AM. The Amhara regional government communication office announced on Facebook that no casualties or damage was reported.
20 November 2020: African Union dispatches high-level delegation to assist with Tigray crisis
The African Union (AU) dispatched a high-level delegation to Ethiopia to meet with PM Abiy to find a resolution to the Tigray crisis. The delegation consists of three former presidents of Liberia, Mozambique and South Africa, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, Joaquim Chissano, Kgalema Motlanthe, respectively. In a tweet, the AU stated: “the primary task of the special envoy is to engage all sides of the conflict with a view to ending hostilities, creating conditions for an inclusive national dialogue to resolve all issues that led to the conflict, and restoring peace and stability to Ethiopia.”
20 November 2020: Ethiopia claims seise of two towns in Tigray
Ethiopian forces announced that they had captured two towns of Axum and Adwa from Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) in the Northern Tigray region. The government also claims that an unspecified number of TFPL fighters have surrendered to the military. The military is suspected to be advancing towards the town of Adigrat, 120KM from the capital.
In televised response, the Tigray president’s spokesperson, Getachew Reda, did not directly respond to the capture of Axum and Adwa. Instead, he announced the apparent successes by TPLF troops on the battlefield. He said they have inflicted “increasing casualties” to government troops at Raya, which is south of the capital. He also claimed responsibility for a rocket attack in the neighbouring Amhara region, on Bahir Dar town.
20 November 2020: UN-Secretary General supports AU efforts in Ethiopia
UN Secretary-General António Guterres commended the AU’s decision to send three high-level envoys to support the peaceful resolution of the Tigray region in Ethiopia. In the statement, he noted that the UN extends the full support for the initiative. He reiterates the commitment of the UN to support efforts towards ensuring a peaceful, stable and prosperous Ethiopia.
The fighting in Tigray region, which officially began on 4 November, has resulted in a humanitarian crisis with thousands displaced and thousands more fleeing to Sudan for safety. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres continued to urge both sides to restrain themselves. He added that a humanitarian corridor is needed to assist civilians caught in the fighting. UNHRC announced that 31,000 Ethiopians had crossed the border into Sudan over the last two and half weeks. The agency added that they are preparing for 200,000 Ethiopians to flee to Sudan.
In response to the humanitarian crisis, the Prime Minister said that his government, “with the rest of Ethiopia would work to ensure that all humanitarian needs [are] addressed. “The overall safety and well-being of the people of Tigray is of paramount importance to the federal government, and we will do all that is necessary to ensure stability prevails in the Tigray region and that our citizens are free from harm and want,” he added.
21 November 2020: PM Abiy meets with the AU delegation on Tigray conflict
After the meeting with the AU high-level delegation sent to assist with quelling the tensions in Tigray, Prime Minister Abiy issues a statement detailing the country’s response to the AU. The Prime Minister began with defending the operations, stating that the failure to enforce would create a “culture of impunity with devastating cost to the survival of the country.” In terms of dialogue, he maintained that his government would only speak to representatives “operating legally” in the Tigray region. Finally, he finally quoted the UN charter that calls for the non-interference policy of internal affairs of a sovereign nation. He concluded by appreciating what he termed as “elderly concern” of the African Union and its commitment to the principle of African solutions to African problems.”
Note. Though the PM used the UN charter to say that the AU should adhere to the non-interference principle, the AU can intervene in internal issues through the AU Constitutive Act, Article 4(g). The article states that the AU has the right “to intervene in a member state…in respect of grave circumstances, namely war crimes, genocide and crimes against humanity.” International human rights organisation has accused the Ethiopian military of war crimes, though the allegations are hard to verify due to the communication shutdown in the Tigray region.
21 November 2020: Ethiopia claims to seize Tigrayan town of Adigrat
As Ethiopian forces advance to Tigray’s capital of Mekelle, they claim to have seized the Tigrayan town of Adigrat. The announcement comes just a day after they claimed to have captured Axum and Adwa. Adigrat is the second-largest city in the Tigray region, about 116 KM from the capital. TPLF confirmed that the Ethiopian military bombarded the city of Adigrat but did not respond to the claims that the army controls the city.
22 November 2020: Ethiopian government gives second call to surrender to TPLF
Prime Minister Abiy has given Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) a 72-hour ultimatum to surrender. In a tweet, PM Abiy tweeted “We urge you to surrender peacefully within 72 hours, recognising that you are at the point of no return.” The call comes as the Ethiopian troops approach the regional capital of Mekele. It is reported that the soldiers are only 60KM from Mekele, where half a million people are still living. The army warned the residents of Mekele that “anything can happen” as the troops advanced to the capital. The spokesperson of the military also urged the civilians to “save themselves.”
TPLF regional president, Debretsion Gebremichael, told the media that the halt of operations was a way for the military to regroup after apparent defeats in all three fronts in the battleground.
The Ethiopian military has claimed to have captured Axum, Adwa, Adigrat and Idaga Hamus.
Michelle Bachelte, the UNHCR boss, voiced concern over the protection of civilians during the ongoing battle in Tigray. She said she is concerned over the rhetoric both sides are using, as it is “dangerously provocative and risks placing already vulnerable and frightened civilians in grave danger.”
UN Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres issued a statement also voicing his concern over the situation in Tigray. He called on “leaders of Ethiopia to do everything possible to protect civilians.” He urged both sides to uphold human rights and ensure humanitarian access to those who need assistance.
28 November 2020: Ethiopian military claim victory over Tigrayan capital
Prime Minister Abiy announced the end of the “operation law enforcement” in Tigray region after its troops allegedly took “full control” of the regional capital of Mekele. In a tweet, the PM noted, “We now have ahead of us the critical task of rebuilding what has been destroyed; repairing what is damaged; returning those who have fled, with the utmost priority of returning normalcy to the people of the Tigray region.” In response to the Prime Minister’s announcement, TPLF leader, Debretsion Gebremichael affirmed that his forces would keep fighting. He added, “Their brutality can only add (to) our resolve to fight these invaders to the last…. this is about defending our rights to self-determination.”
Red Cross, one of the international NGOs operating from Mekele, the capital of the Tigray region, stated that 80% of the people in hospital have trauma injuries. An increase of such injuries, the aid organisation said, means that the hospital would “suspend many other medical services so that the limited staff and resources could be devoted to emergency medical care.” The increase in patients has resulted in a shortage of medical supplies and body bags
The reality on the ground is hard to ascertain since the government still has closed the communication channels in the Tigray region. Analysts and organisations operating in the area suspect thousands of civilians have been killed in the three-week conflict. Conservative findings from the National Human Rights Council indicate that at least 600 civilians have been killed in one attack which they attribute to militias linked to the TPLF. The fighting has forced over 1 million people from their homes, and another 43,000 have fled to Sudan for safety.
29 November 2020: Rockets fired into Eritrea again
At approximately 10 PM, Eritreans reported six loud explosions in the capital of Eritrea, Asmara. Preliminary reports indicate that the rockets fell near the airport and military installations. The country has provided no information to support the social media reports or whether any sustained damages. This is the third attack on Asmara since the conflict ensued on 4 November.
The attack comes just hours after Prime Minister Abiy claims victory against the Tigray region, adding that they have successfully taken over the capital city of Mekelle.
29 November 2020: Sudan seizes weapon cache near its border with Ethiopia
Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces, a paramilitary force operated by the government, announced the seizure of a weapon cache, ammunition and military equipment on its eastern border with Ethiopia. It’s unclear whom the weapons belong to and whether it is related to the current conflict in the Tigray region.
30 November 2020: Military has not killed a single civilian in Tigrayan conflict, PM Abiy says
While addressing the parliament, Prime Minister Abiy stated that the Ethiopian military had not killed a single civilian during the three-week conflict in Tigray region. The PM further noted that all military action was approved by “a signature of authority.” “99% of them hit their targets and 99% of them didn’t have collateral damage. No country’s army can show this level of performance. Our army is disciplined and victorious” he maintained. He added that the military will not destroy the capital city of Mekele, now that they are in control of the city.
30 November 2020: Tigrayan President remains idealistic, claims TPLF will win
In a telephone interview with Associated Press (AP), Tigrayan President Debretsion Gebremichael maintained that Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) would win the conflict. He added that the conflict “will continue until the invaders are out.”
In another interview with Reuters, Tigrayan president claimed to have captured prisoners of war from Eritrea who allegedly were fighting alongside the Ethiopian military. The Eritrean military has yet commented on the allegations. In the interview, President Gebremichael claimed that TPLF has recaptured the city of Axum and has shot down a military plane in the process. He claims that the pilot of the aircraft was captured. The Ethiopian government is yet to comment on the allegations.
1 December 2020: Food shortages in Eritrean refugee camps in Tigray region, Ethiopia
The conflict between the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) and the Ethiopian government has caused food shortages in Eritrean refugee camps in the Tigray region. The UN is concerned with the trend, requesting “urgent access” to the region to deliver the needed aid. Spokesperson of UNHCR, Babar Baloch stated, “We, as humanitarians, have lost access and contact with the refugees since the last month that this fighting has been ongoing, and now there are worrying reports of attacks, of abductions and also of recruitments in and around these refugee camps.” He added that there are reports that some of the refugees have fled the camps seeking refuge in other parts of the region. One hundred thousand Eritrean refugees are living in Ethiopia near the border, 60,000 of whom depend on monthly food rations and have not received this month’s quota. The international institution is still attempting to convince the Ethiopian government for access to the Tigrayan region, with little success.
2 December 2020: Ethiopia, UN agree to humanitarian access to Tigray
Ethiopia announced that the government and the UN have agreed to coordinate the distribution of essential supplies in Tigray. The spokesperson of Prime Minister Abiy said that the two sides have “signed an agreement for an enhanced coordination mechanism for humanitarian access in Ethiopia’s Tigray-region which complements the humanitarian assistance efforts the federal government has begun.”
A week after the Ethiopian government claimed to have taken full control over Tigray’s capital city of Mekelle, both sides are trying to tell the narrative of what is happening on the ground. In a statement, Prime Minister Abiy said, “The criminal clique [TPLF] pushed a patently false narrative that its fighters and supporters are battle-hardened and well-armed, posing the risk of protracted insurgency in the rugged mountains of Tigray. It also claimed that it has managed to undertake a strategic retreat with all its capability and regional government apparatus intact. The reality is the criminal clique is thoroughly defeated and in disarray, with the insignificant capability to mount a protracted insurgency.” On the other hand, Tigray People’s Liberation Front’s (TPLF) spokesperson, Gebre Gebresadkan, told Tigrayans in a televised interview that “the war is a people’s war and will not end easily.” He added that the fighting is still continuing in the outskirts of the capital city of Mekelle.
The communication and travel block in Tigray region has made it challenging to verify statements from either side. Though communication has been blocked in the region, some aid organisations have been able to share some information about what is happening in Tigray. One aid worker confirmed TPLF accounts that fighting is continuing in the outskirts of Mekele. Ethiopian refugees in Sudan is another source of information. Many have said that they ran past dead people as they fled the country. Some of them witnessed armed attackers with machetes, sticks and other rudimentary weapons, killing civilians.
With thousands fleeing the Tigrayan region into Sudan, the country’s Red Cross has started the “family reunification” programme. The programme has proved vital since many have lost contact with their families as they fled the violence in the northern region of Ethiopia. A Red Cross official noted that they have started with free phone calls to family members to attempt to find them. If this option does not work, the Red Cross alerts other organisations working with Ethiopian refugees. The official adds that out of 2500 phone calls that they have made, 70% of them have been able to find their relatives.
7 December 2020: “Efforts to restore order in Tigray underway” – PM Abiy
Ethiopia’s Prime Minister Abiy assures the country that efforts are underway to restore order in the Tigray region. He added that now that the fighting is over, protection and security of civilians “remain an essential priority.” In addition to helping the affected population, he stated that other priorities include bringing fugitives to justice, restoring law and order, and granting unfettered access to humanitarian aid.
The statement from the PM comes as aid organisations and the UN call for the reopening of roads and end of the communication blackout in the Tigray region so that aid can be delivered to the Tigrayans.
7 December 2020: UN Secretary-General Guterres expressed concern over the Ethiopian crisis
UN Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres, expressed his concern over the Ethiopian crisis in the Tigray region. Through his spokesperson, Stephane Dujarric, he stated that it is “essential to quickly restore the rule of law, in full respect of human rights, promote social cohesion, an inclusive reconciliation, as well as to re-establish the delivery of services and guarantee unfettered humanitarian access.”
7 December 2020: Ethiopia issues arrest warrants for police officers who defected to TPLF
The police headquarters announced that they had issued arrest warrants for ten police officers who allegedly left their duty station in Addis Ababa to defect to TPLF. The statement accused the officers of treason and human rights abuses.
8 December 2020: Ethiopia confirms security forces shot at, detained UN workers
The Ethiopian government confirmed security forces shot at and detained UN workers in Tigray region. According to a senior government official and head of the emergency task force for Tigray, Redwan Hussein, the UN staffers allegedly “broke” past two checkpoints to go to areas where “they were not supposed to go.” He added that they had been released. Redwan said that it would invite the international community to assist with the investigation only if they feel “it failed to investigate.” He said that assuming that Ethiopia cannot conduct such an investigation is “belittling the government.”
In response to the attack, Secretary-General’s spokesperson, Stephanie Dujarric, called the reports “alarming.” He added that the UN is “engaging at the highest level with the federal government [of Ethiopia] to express our concern and avoid any such incidents in the future.” According to the UN, the staffers were assessing roads, an essential step before an aid convoy passes through an area. State-owned news claimed that the UN Resident Coordinator for Humanitarian Affairs, Catherine Sozy, apologised for the behaviour of the UN staffers.
11 December 2020: Ethiopian conflict “exceedingly worrying and volatile” – says UNHCR boss
UNHCR chief, Michelle Bachelet called the ongoing conflict in Tigray as “exceedingly worrying and volatile.” She said that corroborated information shows gross human rights violation and abuses, including indiscriminate attacks against civilians, looting, abductions and sexual violence against women and girls. She did not say who the perpetrators of violations and abuses. Michelle added that Tigrayan youth had been forcibly recruited to fight for Tigray.
Contrary to the government’s claims that all fighting is done, the UNHCR boss noted that fighting is still ongoing in the outskirts of Mekelle, the capital of Tigray.
11 December 2020: Four aid workers killed in Ethiopia
Danish Refugee Council (DRC) and International Rescue Committee (IRC) have confirmed that at least four aid workers from their respective organisations in total were killed in two separate incidents. For DRC, three of their staffers working as guards at a project site were killed in November. The organisation said that due to lack of communication and ongoing insecurity, they had not informed the next of kin. For IRC, one of their staffers was killed in Hitsats refugee camp in Shire. The organisation is still working on gathering information that led to the death of the colleague, but the lack of communication is contributing to the slow investigation.
11 December 2020: Ethiopia returns refugee back to the border with Eritrea
Locals report that Ethiopia rounded up thousands of refugees, who had fled from camps to seek refuge, and drove them to the Eritrean border.
The UN responded to the allegations, saying that the reports were “disturbing.” Filippo Grandi, the UN refugee chief, added that they have been receiving reports of killing, abduction and forced repatriation of Eritrean refugees over the past month. He said that they are still trying to verify the allegations. If true, he added, Ethiopia would be violating international law.
12 December 2020: Ethiopia forces 1000 kidnapped military officers
Ethiopian National Defense Forces (ENDF), supported by the police, claimed to have rescued at least 1000 military officers who had been captured by Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF). One of the rescued officers is Brigadier General Admeh Mengiste, the deputy commander of the North Command of the ENDF.
Amnesty International implicates Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF)-affiliated militia as perpetrators of a massacre in a small town of Mai Kadra in Tigray. The town is the home of Tigrayan, Amhara, and other smaller ethnic groups. The attack, which took place on 12 November, resulted in a “very large number of civilian deaths.” According to one survivor, the police in the region, supported by TPLF youth militia, known locally as Samri, went killing non-Tigrayans. He said one of his friends was killed while another was let go after pleading for his life in Tigrayan. Other survivors said that the bandits had asked people to produce their identification cards to tell people’s ethnicity.
The government, since the beginning of the conflict, blocked most communication lines in Tigray. As a result, it has been challenging to get information or verify stories from survivors of attacks in Tigray. In Mai Kadra, the government restored communication a week ago, making it easier to get information about the attack.
13 December 2020: “Situation is now under control,” Ethiopian Ambassador to India says
In an interview with an Indian newspaper, Ethiopian Ambassador to India, Tizita Mulugeta, said the Tigray situation “is now under control.” She added that the objectives of “operation law enforcement” were successfully achieved. She affirmed that the government is hunting the “few number of criminals [who] are in hiding.” Addressing the refugee and humanitarian crisis as a result of the operation, she stated that Ethiopia is now “in a position to start the rehabilitation programme.” She noted that the government had identified four sites to house the internally displaced persons (IDPs).
13 December 2020: Ethiopia, Sudan hold regional security talks in Ethiopia
Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed met with the Sudan counterpart where they discussed bilateral cooperation between the two neighbouring nations. In relation to the ongoing conflict in Tigray, PM Abiy’s office tweeted that the Sudanese government fully supports Ethiopia. “The Sudanese side reiterated their solidarity with the government of Ethiopia in the law enforcement operations it has been undertaking.” TPLF and Ethiopian military confrontations have led to thousands of Ethiopians to flee to Sudan for safety.
13 December 2020: IGAD calls for emergency meeting to discuss Tigray conflict
IGAD will call for an emergency meeting to discuss the ongoing Tigray conflict, Sudan Prime Minister tells the media. This came after the meeting between Sudanese and Ethiopian prime ministers, Abdalla Hamdok and Ahmed Abiy respectively. Ethiopia is yet to comment on the announcement by Sudan’s Prime Minister about the IGAD emergency meeting.
14 December 2020: PM Abiy visits Mekelle, Tigray capital
Ethiopian Prime Minister Ahmed Abiy made a working visit to Mekelle, capital of Tigray region. In a tweet, he said, “went to Mekelle and met with commanders of the ENDF, as well as the PRovisional Administration of Tigray.” He claimed that telecom and electricity had been restored in the area. He alleged that they were not working due to repairs. PM also said that infrastructure projects have commenced repairing the damages from the conflict.
15 December 2020: Ethiopian gunmen kill 4 Sudanese troops
The attack occured in the Al-Fashqa region.
16 December 2020: EU suspends $109 million aid to Ethiopia over Tigray humanitarian crisis
The European Union (EU) announced the suspension of $109 million aid to Ethiopia over lack of humanitarian aid to the Tigray region. The EU Head of Delegation to Ethiopia, Ambassador Johan Borgstam, said that the aid money was postponed until the EU sees the “Granting of full humanitarian access to Tigray for relief actors so that people in need can be reached and there is an end to the ethnic-based targeting.” The EU also called for the government to give access to the media and restore all communications in Tigray.
18 December 2020: Ethiopian Government offers reward on information on TPLF leadership whereabouts
The Ethiopian government is offering a reward of 10 million birr, which is equivalent to $260,000, to anyone who provides information on the location of TPLF leaders. Lieutenant General Asrat Denero, the head of the military community information department, announced the details of the rewards on state-run media.
22-23 December 2020: Talks between Sudan and Ethiopia
Demarcation talks over the boundary between Ethiopia and Sudan failed to yield results or a consensus.
23 December 2020: Gumuz gunmen attack
Gumuz gunmen kill at least 207 Amhara and Shinasha civilians.
25 December 2021: Ethiopia announces election dates
Ethiopia’s National Electoral Board (NEC) announced that the parliamentary election would take place on 5 June 2021. The NEC had postponed the elections scheduled to take place in August this year due to COVID-19 pandemic.
The election is expected to take place as the country rustles with many crises. In Tigray, despite claiming victory, the military is still fighting against the TPLF. Also in Tigray, battles between armed Amhara groups and Tigrayans have been reported, with Amhara groups claiming they are reclaiming their land. In other parts of the country, the Oromo and Somalis, the Somalis and Afar, Oromo and Amhara have had sporadic clashes,
28 December 2020: Banks reopened in Tigray’s capital since conflict started
Banks in Mekelle, Tigray’s capital, opened for the first time since the conflict started in November. The state-run Fana TV reported that the government was restoring normality. A week earlier, the government sent civil servants back to work, reopened the air space, and restored some power and telecom links.
28 December 2020: Reuters cameraman arrested in his home, in custody without charge
Reuters reported that their cameraman had been arrested in his home in Addis Ababa last week and has since been in custody without charge. The cameraman, identified as Kumerra Gumeechu, was arrested in front of his family by at least ten armed federal police officers. The day after the arrest, he appeared before a judge, with no lawyer present, and was ordered to remain in detention for an additional 14 days to give police time to investigate. The police confiscated his electronics, including his phone and laptop, according to his family.
A week and a half prior to this incident, another Reuters staff, photographer Tiksa Negeri, was allegedly beaten by two Ethiopian federal police officers. Ethiopian Broadcasting Authority had accused international media houses of falsely reporting and unbalanced coverage of the fighting in Tigray at the end of November.
31 December 2020: Sudan claims to have made significant territorial gains
Sudan claims that from the 23rd to 31st December, the military made further territorial gains in Al-Fashqa and Al-Quraisha border regions.
January 2020: Churches in Tigray vandalised and looted
Churches in the northern region have claimed to be attacked and looted. The perpetrators are unknown.
13 January 2021: Ethiopia says three TPLF leaders killed, including ex-Foreign Affairs Minister
Ethiopia announced that its forces had killed three Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) leaders. The government alleges they were killed after they refused to surrender to the military. The three leaders were identified as Seyoum Mesfin, former Foreign Affairs Minister (1991-2010), Aba Tsehaye, former Federal Affairs Minister, Asmelash Woldesellassie, the ex-parliamentary chief whip,
The latest attack is part of the ongoing operations by the Ethiopian government to apprehend TPLF leaders. Last week, they arrested Sebhat Nega, a founding member of the group. State-run media reported that they killed 15 members and captured eight others.
22 January 2021: UN received disturbing reports of sexual violence in Tigray
The UN Special Representative on Sexual violence, Pramila Patten, said she is concerned about the serious allegations of sexual violence in Tigray. She said that the UN had received reports on a “high number of alleged rapes.” “There are also disturbing reports of individuals allegedly forced to rape members of their own family, under threats of imminent violence,” Patten said in a statement. She added that the increased number of cases of medical centres prescribing “emergency contraception” and “increased testing of sexually transmitted infections” is additional information that supports the allegations.
27 January 2021: US – “Eritrean forces should leave Ethiopia’s Tigray region immediately”
The US has called for the immediate withdrawal of Eritrean troops out of the Tigray region. In the State Department statement, the US says that “credible reports of looting, sexual violence, assaults in refugee camps and other human rights abuses” had been reported. “There is also evidence of Eritrean soldiers forcibly returning Eritrean refugees from Tigray to Eritrea,” the statement read in part. The statement said that it is still unclear the precise number of troops of the groups and where they are operating. On the humanitarian front, the US urged both sides to stop fighting so that aid organisations and groups could access those in need.
Ethiopia and Eritrea have been adamant that the Eritrean troops had not crossed the border into the country. Despite their denial, survivors who have fled the Tigray region have claimed that Eritrean troops had gone house to house killing young men while looting.
31 January 2021: Defacto Tigray leader promises resistance
An audio statement from the defacto Tigray leader, Debretison Gebremichael, was released on Saturday night. The statement was released on Facebook by the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF)- affiliated media group, Tigrai Media House, based in the US. Gebremichael admitted that the federal government had military dominance, though temporary, he added. He alleged abuses by the Ethiopian forces on Tigrayans. He affirmed that the TPLF “is engaged in extended resistance.” He called on his supporters to “organise and fight and to strive to make all who have reached fighting age take up the fight.”
International media could not independently verify the authenticity of the recording. This is the first communication in two months.
Responding to the audio statement, the spokesperson of PM Abiy said she “cannot speak to the delusions of a criminal clique’s Facebook page.” She added the TPLF had been making unfounded genocide claims since November to cover up their own horrendous crimes.
2 February 2021: 20000 refugees missing after two camps targeted in Tigray
The UN reported that as many as 20,000 refugees are missing after armed men targeted two camps. The refugees, mainly from Eritrea, fled after the two camps, Hitsats and Shimelba, were attacked by unknown gunmen. Three thousand refugees managed to reach another nearby camp, Mai-Aini. The UN fears that some of the refugees were abducted or killed in other locations.
6 February 2021: World Food Porgramme met with the Government of Ethiopia
The World Food Programme met to re-open humanitarian aid to Tigray, something that the government has prohibited for months.
7 February 2021: UN, Ethiopian government agree to expand access to aid workers in Tigray
After lobbying with the Ethiopian government, the UN announced that the two sides had reached an agreement to expand the access for aid workers in Tigray. Due to the limited communication and access to villages and towns in Tigray, it is hard for aid organisations to have an accurate image of those who need help. The Ethiopian government allowed the World Food Programme (WFP) to provide emergency food aid to one million people in Tigray. The government would also provide transport to hard to reach rural areas.
The new agreement builds on an existing agreement signed in December. The flawed agreement did not provide UN access to areas that were under government control. The situation between the two sides worsened when security forces fired shots at a UN team travelling to Mekelle after they refused to stop at two checkpoints.
8 February 2021: UN given permission to send humanitarian satff
UN agencies received approval from the Ethiopian Government for 25 international staff to provide humanitarian assistance inside the country’s conflict-torn Tigray region, (UN Spokesperson).
10 February 2021: Red Cross Ethiopia say 80% of Tigriyan population cannot receive aid
The Ethiopian Red Cross Society (ERCS) raised the alarm over the worsening humanitarian crisis in Tigray, adding that at least 80% of Tigray is “unreachable at this particular time.” ERCS called for attention to address the dire situation where some starvation deaths have been reported. They explained that many areas are still inaccessible due to the closure or restriction on main roads north and south of the capital Mekelle. The organisation estimated that nearly 3.8 million out of the 6 million population is in dire need of aid.
11 February 2021: Ethiopian military shelling civilians in Tigray – Human Rights Watch says
Human Rights Watch (HRW) says Ethiopian forces shelled heavily populated areas during the first weeks of the conflict in the Tigray region. The rights group estimates at least 83 civilians were killed during those instances and displaced thousands. The artillery attacks targeted homes, hospitals, schools and markets in Mekelle, the capital, and towns of Shire and Humera. Just in Humera, the doctors noted at least 46 civilians were killed and another 2000 injured in a single day from an attack by the Ethiopian forces.
The findings by HRW contradict PM Abiy’s previous statements that the military acted with special care for civilian lives. In November, the PM told the parliament that no civilian was killed since the operation began on 4 November.
11 February 2021; Eritrean refugees attacked amid worsening Tigray conflict, refugees relocated
The United Nations refugee agency (UNHCR) relocated Eritrean refugees from two camps after they were destroyed following an attack by armed militias. Armed men attacked the Shimelba and Hitsats camps, killing and abducting refugees. The Norwegian Refugee Council, one of the NGOs actively working in those two camps, condemned the attack on refugees.
To make the refugees’ plight worse, some camp residents reported that Eritrean soldiers had forced some of them back to Eritrea.
Local and international journalists investigating and reporting on the Tigray crisis have reported instances of threats and intimidation by armed actors. These journalists are investigating artillery attacks, massacres, extrajudicial killings, widespread looting, and sexual-based violence, including rape. Local newspapers, including Adds Standard, have had their journalist arrested or detained on trumped-up charges. One journalist was charged with “attempts to dismantle the Constitution through violence” and “outrage against the Constitution.”
To silence the journalists, some have had their homes raided with property destroyed or taken while others have ultimately lost their lives. These armed men that have attacked the journalists allegedly claim their attacks are on those who are “spreading lies.” or supporting the “Tigray junta.”
The government imposed lockdown in Tigray, which only allows limited communication to come out of the region, has made matters worse. At the beginning of the conflict, the government had shut down all forms of communication, including the internet, mobile phones, and landlines.
20 February 2021: Hundreds of buildings burned throughout the week
Fires alleged to have been deliberately set destroyed more than 500 structures around the town of Gijet.
Following an investigation by Amnesty International, killings of hundreds of civilians by Eritrean troops in Axum amounted to “human rights and humanitarian law violations.” On 28 and 29 November, Eritrean troops killed hundreds of civilians in a “coordinated and systematic” manner. The human rights group claims that the massacre aimed to “terrorise the population into submission.” A total of 41 survivors were interviewed. According to the witnesses, the Ethiopian and Eritrean military entered the town of Axum on 19 November, where they also indiscriminately fired at anyone who tried to escape. They said they could identify that the troops were Eritrean due to their uniform. Some said that some of the troops wore Ethiopian military uniforms but could identify them as Eritreans by their shoes or by the three scars near the eye, markings that identify them as Beni Amir, an ethnic group in Eritrea and Sudan, not Ethiopia. Moreover, though Eritrea has ethnically Tigrayans, the survivors noted the troops were not speaking Ethiopia’s Tigranya dialect.
Ethiopian Ambassador to Qatar called the report by Amnesty “cooked” after he was asked to respond by Al-Jazeera. He added that, “ This kind of report based on unreliable sources is known to have the risk of further reinforcing the misinformation and propaganda by TPLF criminal clique.” The Ethiopian government is yet to comment on the allegations.
3 March 2021: Journalists released from jail with no charges while covering the Tigray conflict
Ethiopian authorities released four media workers after spending several days in jail. The arrested were two translators for the AFP and Financial Times, Fitsum Berhane and Alula Akalu, respectively, BBC journalist Girmay Gerbu and local journalist Temrat Yemane.
To limit the flow of information about what is happening in Tigray, the Ethiopian government granted accreditation to seven international media organisations to report from Tigray. According to Al Jazeera, the journalists were warned that they could face unspecified “corrective measures” if they do not meet local standards.
4 March 2021: UN high commissioner for human rights says Eritreans are behind “possible war crimes”
UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Michelle Bachelet, stated that her office collaborated the allegations of grave violations by the Eritrean forces. She added that the violations could amount to “war crimes and crimes against humanity.” She called on further investigations into the situation in Tigray. She added that Eritrean forces are not the only perpetrators but also Ethiopian National Defence Forces (ENDF), Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPFL) and Amhara regional forces with allied militias.
Human Rights Watch (HWR) say Eritrean forces shot dead more than a hundred civilians, including children, in Tigray in November 2020. The massacre occurred after an armed Tigrayan militia attacked Eritrean soldiers in the area. The report says the army responded by indiscriminately firing on civilians. Survivors of the massacre say that the troops went home to home, killing the men and boys.
Both Ethiopia and Eritrea deny Eritrea’s active role in the conflict in Tigray.
The Deputy chief of mission at the Ethiopian Embassy in the US, Kidanemariam, resigned from his post. He accused PM Abiy of leading the country “down a dark path towards destruction and disintegration.” He termed Ethiopia’s campaign as a “genocidal war.” He added that the Abiy government has been “misrepresenting conditions on the ground and failing to come clean about the presence of foreign powers.”
10-13 March 2021: US Secretary of State calls Ethiopia’s campaign in Tigray as “ethnic cleansing”
While testifying before Congress, the US Secretary of State, Antony Bilnken, that acts of “ethnic cleansing” were being committed in Tigray region. He called for all Eritrean troops to be withdrawn from Tigray and replaced by security forces that will respect human rights. He added the allegations are based on credible reports by an “independent investigation into what took place there,” citing human rights abuses and atrocities.
The Ethiopian government has rejected the US’s allegations, calling them “completely unfounded and spurious verdict.” ”Nothing during or after the end of the main law enforcement operation in Tigray can be identified or defined by any standards as a targeted, international ethnic cleansing against anyone in the region,” the statement read in part.
The Amhara region also rejected the allegations of “ethnic cleansing” by its forces who have been fighting in Tigray alongside the federal troops, as well as armed militias fighting to retake what they claim as historical Amhara land. The spokesperson of the region said that allegations are “propaganda.”
18 March 2021: US dispatches Senator to Ethiopia to meet with PM Abiy, discuss humanitarian crisis,
The Biden administration has sent Senator Chris Coons to meet with PM Abiy Ahmed in Ethiopia. The Senator expressed the president’s concerns over the humanitarian situation in the Tigray region. US Secretary of State, Blinken, had stated that the US would provide $52 million in aid to address the situation. He added that the deteriorating situation could threaten the peace and stability of the region.
During his trip to Ethiopia, Senator Coons is expected to meet with key leaders of the African Union based in Ethiopia.
The European Union announced sanctions on Eritrea’s National Security Agency for their role in the Tigray conflict, including serious human rights violations. They froze assets abroad and banned them from travelling to any European Union country.
The Eritrean Ministry of Foreign Affairs responded to the new sanctions, saying that the accusations are “baseless and offensive.” They asserted that the EU is supporting the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF). “The EU has been doggedly working to save and bring back to power the defunct TPLF clique and to undermine the region’s own efforts to address challenges and advance comprehensive and durable cooperation,” the statement said in part.
23 March 2021: Ethiopia admits to Eritrean troops fought in Tigray
Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed admitted that Eritrean troops had been fighting in the Tigray region for the first time. The admission comes after months of denial from both countries despite credible accusations from human rights groups and locals. While addressing the parliament, PM Abiy affirmed that the troops had crossed into Tigray due to concerns that the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) would continue attacks against Asmara. PM Abiy noted that the Eritreans had promised to leave Tigray once the Ethiopian military was in control of the border. He added that the “Eritrean people and government did a lasting favour to our soldiers during the conflict” without explaining the details.
PM Abiy attempted to address the allegations from human rights groups that the Eritreans have committed mass atrocities. He said, if the Eritreans had committed any atrocities, it was unacceptable. “We don’t accept it because it was the Eritrean army, and we would not accept it if it were our soldiers.” He added that the target of the campaign was pre-discussed. In the same light, he affirmed that any Ethiopian soldier who is found to have raped women or committed other war crimes would be held responsible. This comes after human rights groups documented details from refugees and internally displaced persons (IDPs) who narrated the horrific crimes. PM Abiy said that though the government is investigating the crimes, he believed that the allegations are “propaganda of exaggeration,” propelled by TPLF.
Issues between Asmara, led by President Isaias Afwerki, and the TPLF stem from the Ethiopia-Eritrea war of 1998, where Eritrea was defeated. Many analysts view the involvement in the Tigray as a way for Afwerki to exact revenge on the TPLF.
Doctors without Borders say that their staff members witnessed the killing of at least four civilians. The three staff members witnessed the killing while travelling from the regional capital of Mekelle to Adigrat ahead of two public minibuses when soldiers stopped them. The statement said that the Ethiopian military seems to have survived an ambush from an armed group since one of their vehicles ws on fire. According to their accounts, the soldiers forced the civilians out of the bus and separated the men from the women. Some of the men were shot. The MSF staff were allowed to continue with the travels while the women were told to walk on foot. A few minutes later, the troops stopped the vehicle belonging to Doctors without Borders then proceeded to assault the driver of the vehicle.
The Ethiopian government responded to the allegations, noting that PM Abiy is aware of the allegations and looking into it.
A week before the attack, Borders Without Borders condemned the attack on clinics in the Tigray region. They termed the attacks as “deliberate and generalised.” The statement noted that clinics were looted, vandalised and destroyed. Between mid-December and March, a total of 106 clinics were attacked. The health organisation said that the Ethiopian troops had forced doctors in one hospital to treat their wounded before treating anyone, while Eritrean soldiers did the same thing in a different town.
The Ethiopian Human Rights Commission (EHRC) said that Eritrean troops killed more than 100 civilians in a massacre in November in Tigray. The findings, which Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch collaborated previously, were published by the government-affiliated commission. The massacre took place in the Axum on 28-29 November. The report said that the finds show “grave human rights violations that may amount to crimes against humanity or war crimes.”
The UN and EHRC announced they would carry out a joint investigation into the allegations of abuse in Tigray. .The EHRC said the probe is part of the “much-needed accountability process.”
25 March 2021: UN report details sexual-based violence during the Tigray campaign
The UN office in Ethiopia has documented at least 500 cases of rape in Tigray region. The Deputy aid coordinator, Wafaa Said, that five clinics provide the information. The brave women who reported the assaults stated that they were perpetrated by armed actors who sometimes went as far as forming members of the same family to rape their own family members. Wafaa adds that the numbers of sexual-based violence are probably higher than what is being reported.
31 March 2021: Amhara militia attack western Tigray and Oromia creates mass exodus
- Armed Ahmara militias have continued their attacks on neighbouring states of Tigray and Oromia. They have crossed into western Tigray to claim disputed land between the two regions. Amhara officials say that disputed lands, which equates to a quarter of the Tigrayan land, was taken during the 30 years TPLF dominated government after 1991. The armed groups had crossed as soon as the government began their campaign in November 2020. The fresh fighting has resulted in a mass exodus from western Tigray, which adds additional pressure to an area facing a humanitarian crisis. The head of the Tigray’s government-appointed administration told the media that the western Tigray is still occupied by armed Amhara militias forcing people out of their homes. The administrator of the disputed zone disputes the local administration’s view of the conflict. Yabsira Eshetie said no one had been forced out of their home while no home has been destroyed. “There is federal police here. There is Amhara special police here.”
- In Oromia, armed Amhara militants attacked a village in the West Wollega Zone, killing at least 30 civilians. The villagers ran to a nearby government office to seek protection from the federal troops. Local administration blames a splinter group of the Oromo Liberation Front (OLF) known as OLF Shane. The OLF Shane spokesperson denied responsibility for the attack, adding that the allegations are part of a government strategy to frame them as lawless.
4 April 2021: Eritrean troops withdrawing from Ethiopia – PM Abiy says
Prime Minister Abiy says Eritrean forces have begun withdrawing from the Tigray region in Ethiopia. Months after delaying the allegation, Ethiopia finally admitted that Eritrean troops were assisting the government troops against the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF). This comes after G7 countries unequivocally called for the withdrawal of the Eritrean troops. G7 Foreign Minister welcomed the announcement that Eritrea is withdrawing troops, adding that the process must be “swift, unconditional and verifiable.” Eritrea maintains that they crossed the border when provoked by the TPLF. The claim is based on the rocket attacks into Asmara from the Tigray region.
15 April 2021: Amnesty International – Eritrean troops still killing in Tigray
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20 April 2021: “There is no clear end in sight” to Tigray conflict – UNICEF
UNICEF spokesperson, James Elder, said that there is “no clear end in sight” to the conflict in Tigray. The involvement of the Amhara region militias in the conflict has added new dimensions to the conflict, he added. On the humanitarian front, more than one million people, most of whom are children, have been displaced due to fighting, with the numbers expected to rise as the fighting is still ongoing. The spokesperson relayed the accounts from children who had walked hundreds of kilometres to safety with minimal food and water.
20 April 2021: US State Department – “No evidence of withdrawal of Eritrean troops
The US State Department says there is no evidence that Eritrean troops are withdrawing from Ethiopia. The spokesperson, Ned Price, reiterated the Biden administration’s call for the immediate departure of troops.
Days later, the US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, uttered similar remarks as the spokesperson of the State Department, adding that the Eritrean forces and Amhara regional forces are contributing to the growing humanitarian disaster while committing human rights abuses.
20 April 2021: Biden administration alarms over the humanitarian crisis in Tigray
The US has voiced fresh concern over the atrocities being reported in the Tigray region and the challenges for aid organisations working to alleviate the situation. USAID officials say they still require greater and sustained access to civilians in order to deliver aid., $305 million in total is providing emergency food aid, medical care, temporary shelters and “extremely important” support for victims of violence.
23 April 2021: UN urges investigation into Tigray atrocities
For the first time since the beginning of the conflict, the UN Security Council has voiced concerns about the atrocities being reported in Tigray. The statement called for an investigation into “human rights violations and abuses, including reports of sexual violence against women and girls in the Tigray region.” This is a major shift in policy following the recent internationalisation of the conflict and points to increased future involvement by powerful global actors.
30 April 2021: Opposition parties call for the removal of Eritrean troops
In a joint letter to the UN Security Council (UNSC), three opposition parties called on the international community to pressure the Eritrean government to withdraw all its troops from Ethiopia. The three political parties, the National Political Parties Forum (Salsay Weyane Tigray (SaWeT)), the National Congress of great Tigray (Baytona) and the Tigray Independence Party (TIP) noted that the reconstruction process cannot take place while foreign troops are still in the region. They also asked the UNSC to hold Eritrea accountable for the war crimes and human rights abuses committed over the past six months. The political parties stated that the response for the larger international community “was not strong enough to persuade the invaders to abide by the long standing covenant of the UN.
4 May 2021: Ethiopian government says Oxfam figures on extreme hunger ‘falsified’
Ethiopian government asserted claims from Oxfam that at least 5 million people in Tigray face extreme hunger as “falsified information.” The remarks come after Oxfam, in a statement, claimed that 5 million people are facing extreme levels of hunger as a result of the six months war, inability of thousands of farmers to plan ahead of the rainy season and locusts.
According to Debebe Zewde, the director of public relations with the Disaster Risk Management Commission, there is a widespread campaign by international organisations and media outlets to tarnish the image of Ethiopia. To counter the narrative, he said that the Ethiopian government stated that they had been delivering humanitarian assistance to the 4.5 million people in need. He added that the government has set up 92 food distribution sites across Tigray and so far they have spent $50.5 million on the food distribution program.
5 May 2021: Head of Tigray region administration resigns
The federal government-appointed head of the Tigray region, Mulu Nega has resigned, according to his deputy. The deputy, Abebe Gebrehiwot Yihdego told the media that Mulu designed without giving details for the reasoning or whether he is now the new interim head of Tigray. Prime Minister Abiy’s office also failed to comment on the recent developments.
6 May 2021: UN releases $65 million in aid to Ethiopia, most of it to Tigray
The UN announced on Thursday that it was releasing $65 million in aid to Ethiopia, of which $40 million would be sent to Tigray. The rest of the $25 million would be used to fund operations in other parts of the country, including drought relief in the Somali and Oromia regions. The $40 million sent to Tigray will be used to fund the emergency shelter, clean water, health care, prevention efforts and response to sexual and gender-based violence, and emergency telecommunications to support the humanitarian response.
7 May 2021: Malnutrition crisis looms over Tigray after 6 months of war
The UN has cautioned that severe malnutrition among children and pregnant women is on the rise in the Tigray region after prolonged conflict and disruption to humanitarian aid. Moreover, aid convoys are being blocked and this has delayed the provision of aid to those who need it most. According to humanitarian organisations reporting to the UN, 431 out of the 19,000 children screened were found to be severely malnourished. Likewise, 2,721 women out of 4,447 screened were found to be acutely malnourished.
9 May 2021: Ethiopian Orthodox Church decries ‘genocide’ in Tigray
Abune Mathias, the head of Ethiopia’s Orthodox Church said the atrocities being committed in Tigray amounted to genocide, his first comments since the outbreak of the war. In a video, which was shot on a mobile phone then smuggled out of Ethiopia, Abune, who is ethnically Tigrayan, said he wanted the world to know what was happening in the region. He also said that he was prevented from speaking about the atrocities, without specifying who prevented him from doing so.
The head of the World Health Organisation, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreysus, described the situation in Tigray as ‘horrific’. Dr Tedros, who is himself from Tigray, said that people were dying due to hunger and decried the sexual abuse taking place in the region. “The situation in Tigray, Ethiopia is, maybe if I use one word, horrific, very horrific – 4.5, almost five million people need humanitarian aid, 91% need food aid, and many people have started dying actually because of hunger, and severe and acute malnutrition is becoming rampant,” he said at a news conference in Geneva. According to the WHO, the destruction of healthcare services in the region added further strain to the conflict. Aid agencies have often called for full humanitarian access and an end to the aid blockade.
21 May 2021: Biden Administration plans visa restrictions on Ethiopian officials over Tigray
‘Foreign Policy’ reports that the Biden Administration is planning visa sanctions on Ethiopian and Tigrayan officials over the atrocities committed in the Tigray region. These restrictions point to a shift in US foreign policy and could represent a turning point in US-Ethiopia relations. The Biden Administration has been frustrated with the response of the Abiy Ahmed-led government, and the Ethiopian government, on the other hand, has refuted criticism over its handling of the crisis. Officials familiar with the matter have said that the US is planning to add further pressure on the Ethiopian government by withholding security assistance funding and targeting the country’s IMF and World Bank programmes. There are also talks of targeted sanctions against Ethiopian government officials complicit in the atrocities, although no final decision has been made. US Secretary of state
22 May 2021: Ethiopia accuses US of interfering in Tigray crisis
In response to the visa restriction by the US, the Ethiopian government accused Washington of meddling in its internal affairs. The Foreign Affairs ministry asserted that the actions by the US were “inappropriate but also completely unacceptable.” said that if the visa restriction is upheld, Addis Ababa “will be forced to reassess its relations with the United States, which might have implications beyond our bilateral relationship.”
22 May 2021: Ethiopia expels New York Times reporter covering Tigray conflict
The Ethiopian government expelled a New York Times reporter after his licence was revoked over ‘unbalanced’ reporting. Simon Mark has been at the forefront of reporting what has been happening in Tigray, including the alleged human rights violations committed by the Ethiopian troops. According to the New York Times, Simon was summoned by government officials and held at the airport for eight hours before being put on a flight. The assistant managing editor said that the reporter was not given time to go to his house in Ethiopia to collect his belongings before being expelled. Through his Twitter page, Simon Marks said that the immigration officers also denied him the opportunity to fully say goodbye to his family, including his two-year-old daughter.
Ethiopia’s Media Authority told AFP that Simon Marks had no business staying in the country, especially after the government revoked his license. once
The expulsion of Simon Mark drew condemnation for media personalities and Reporters without Borders (RWB). According to RWB, he was the first foreign reporter to be expelled from the country.
According to the Ethiopian government, 22 officials from the interim administration in Tigray have been killed by forces loyal to its former ruling party, 20 others have been kidnapped, and four had been wounded. It was the first time the government of Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed had disclosed the toll of attacks by Tigrayan forces, which federal officials have long claimed would be unable to mount an effective insurgency. The attacks on interim administration officials were perpetrated “by TPLF fighters that claim to be fighting for the people of Tigray but have rather been actively engaged in the destruction of property, killing and kidnapping” of those “tasked with bringing stability to the region,” the government statement said.
26 May 2021: Aid worker killed in Ethiopia
An Ethiopian national aid worker was killed by a “stray bullet” in Tigray. The aid worker, identified as Negasi Kadane, succumbed to the injuries on Saturday after being rushed to the hospital on Friday evening, according to the employer, the Italian charity, International Committee for the Development of Peoples (CISP).
Negasi is the 9th aid worker reportedly killed in Tigray since the fighting began in November 2020. Last week, USAID chief, Samantha Power, said that a national staff was killed in Tigray “reportedly by Eritrean and Ethiopian soldiers.” The killing of the USAID staff led to the US warning the warring parties of deliberately targeting aid workers. In December, Danish Refugee Council and International Rescue Committee lost three and one of its staff members, respectively.
28 May 2021: 1 in 4 schools in Tigray pillaged during conflict: HRW
In a recently released report, Human Rights Watch (HRW) documented attacks on schools after conducting more than a dozen interviews with residents, teachers, parents and former students. “All warring parties have been implicated in attacking, pillaging and occupying schools across the Tigray region,” Laetitia Bader, HRW’s Horn of Africa Director and one of the report’s authors, said. “This has an impact not only on children’s ability to receive an education now, but it also has a much longer impact on schoolchildren’s ability to receive the education they have been missing for the past six months,” said Bader. According to Bader, troops occupied and fortified a primary school to be used as a watchtower in one instance. After Ethiopian troops left the school, Mekelle residents found widespread damage to classrooms and offices, as well as the destruction of electrical installations and water pipes.
1 June 2021: Eritrean troops once again accused of killing civilians in Tigray
3 June 2021: Ethiopian government claims Tigray way on its “finalising operation.”
The Ethiopian government has stated that Operation ‘Law Enforcement” is about to come to an end, despite calling victory in November 2020. The government, through its spokesperson, Billene Seyoum, said that the forces are close to “finalising operations,” adding that the fighting is localised to two areas. They added that all armed opposition will soon be eliminated.
Responding to the allegations of indiscriminate killing of civilians, rape and other sexual-based violence, the spokesperson said that the military police and prosecutors had begun prosecuting those responsible for such crimes. A total of 53 soldiers are facing trial. She added that such violations were not endemic to the entire military but rather “bad apples who violated their rules of engagement.”
3 June 2021: Eritrean troops begin withdrawing from Tigray, Ethiopian government claims
Billene Seyoum, the spokeswoman for Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, said reports from the defence ministry indicate that troops from neighbouring Eritrea had begun withdrawing from Tigray. Ethiopia had previously denied that Eritrean forces were in the country, but in March Mr Abiy admitted they were there and said they would start leaving. Talking to journalists, Ms Billene denied allegations that people were being deliberately starved of food. She said the government was working to provide emergency food aid with several agencies, including the UN’s World Food Programme.
5-16 June 2021: Ethiopia’s international community continues to warn of famine in Tigray
Ethiopia’s international community has continued its plea for assistance as the famine in Tigray becomes a reality.
The UN humanitarian chief, Mark Lowcock, also has raised the alarm over the deteriorating humanitarian crisis in Tigray region. He said if no immediate action takes place, the 1984 famine that killed at least 1 million Ethiopians could occur again. He asserted that famine is already taking place in Tigray. Lowcock said that the situation is set to get worse if humanitarian access is not permitted. He added that Amhara and Afar regions are also going to be affected. “We are hearing of starvation-related deaths already,” he said in a statement released on Friday. “People need to wake up. The international community needs to really step up, including through the provision of money. He also added that Eritrea was using starvation as a weapon of war in contravention of humanitarian law. “The access for aid workers is not there because of what men with guns and bombs are doing and what their political masters are telling them to do,” he said.
The United Kingdom is the latest country to ask for more assistance for the north region. UK Ambassador Barbara Woodward told reporters that immediate aid is needed, and the delay could result in the possible deaths of hundreds of people. The destruction of the farmlands during the conflict has added to the food insecurity. Amb Woodward asserted that there could be “a man-made famine without a ceasefire and humanitarian access.” She concluded her media briefing by noting that the UK has pledged another 23.6 million to aid the current crisis.
8 June 2021: Children are heavily affected by the Tigray conflict
As the Tigray conflict rages on, children have not been spared by the effects of the conflict. Children currently receiving treatment in various hospitals in Tigray have begun sharing their stories. The accounts show that the children have been shot, knifed, hit by shrapnel from heavy artillery, and maimed by landmines. According to official records, in one Ayder hospital in the capital city of Mekelle, 32 children have been admitted, 13 children have had their limbs amputated.
Beriha, a fifteen-year-old, lost one eye in the war and the other permanently blinded while she ran for her life as the security forces were firing on civilians. To make matters worse, the family had to travel from town to town searching for a hospital to treat Beriha since the hospitals, and health centres are either full or not functioning. In a report by Doctors without Borders, less than 15% of health care centres in Tigray are operating normally.
8 June 2021: Eritrea blames US for ongoing Tigray conflict
Eritrea’s Foreign Affairs Minister has blamed the US for the Tigray conflict by supporting the Tigray People’s Liberation Movement (TPLF). In a letter sent to the UN Security Council, the Minister said that the current Biden administration is “stoking further conflict and destabilisation” by interfering and intimidating the region. Furthermore, the letter accuses the US government of attempting to “resuscitate the remnants of the TPLF regime.”
The TPLF dominated government that ruled Ethiopia for more than 27 years until Prime Minister Abiy come to power in 2018 was considered Eritrea’s biggest enemy. The animosity grew worse and worse following the defeat of Eritrea during the war with Ethiopia (1998-2000). Regional analysts have maintained that Eritrea joined the conflict to punish the TPLF and its supporters in Tigray.
16 June 2021: African Union to investigate human rights violations in Ethiopia’s Tigray conflict
The African Union (AU) announced that they will investigate the allegations of human rights abuses committed in Tigray region of Ethiopia. In a statement, the investigation will be conducted by the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights stationed in the Gambia. The investigation team will conduct their research in Ethiopia and in the neighbouring countries over a three-month period, with the possibility of extension.
As expected, the Ethiopian government deemed the investigation as unnecessary. The Foreign Affairs Ministry criticised the inquiry, adding that it was “misguided” and lacked a legal basis. The ministry offered to do a joint investigation with the AU.
In response to the comments from the Ethiopian government, the vice-chair of the human rights commission, Remy Ngoy Lumbu, noted that the investigation could not be stopped. He affirmed that the findings “definitely will not be hidden in the drawer.” VC Limbu confirmed that the Ethiopian government had given authorisation for the commission to visit the Tigray region, but no exact date has been set.
21 June 2021: Ethiopian elections takes place as Tigray conflict rages on
After two postponements, Ethiopians took to the polling stations to cast their vote. This will be the first electoral test for Prime Minister Abiy, who came to power in 2018 with a wide support base. Many opposition candidates boycotted the election, stating that the elections would not be free and fair. On election day, opposition party members in Amhara claimed high levels of intimidation from government forces. Based on the data of civil society election monitors, 118 incidents, 93 of whom were verified, of intimidation were reported in Amhara and in the southern region. Interviewed voters said that peace – As the elections take place, the conflict continues to rage on in Tigray. The polls did not take place in all places in Ethiopia, accounting for a fifth of the 547 constituencies. Tigray specifically accounts for 38 seats in Parliament. According to the election commission, the election in those areas deemed to be insecure would vote on 6 September.
24 June 2021: Ethiopia denies attacking civilians in Tigray, says only targeted armed combatants
Ethiopia’s military has rejected accounts that dozens of civilians were killed in an air raid in the country’s embattled Tigray region, saying its forces had only struck rebels. Speaking to journalists on Thursday, army spokesman Colonel Getnet Adane said the operation “dismantled” armed forces loyal to the northern region’s former governing party, the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF). “We do not accept that this operation targeted civilians,” he said, cautioning that the rebels were known to wear civilian clothes.
Survivors and health workers, however, described aerial explosions striking the marketplace at the peak of trading, killing and wounding dozens, including children. A local health official cited by AFP news agency put the death toll to at least 64, with 180 wounded, while medics told news agencies that the Ethiopian military was blocking ambulances from reaching the scene.
26 June 2021: 3 MSF employees killed in Tigray, UN condemns it
Unknown assailants killed 3 Médecins Sans Frontières (Doctors without borders) employees in Tigray. In a statement, the UN chief described the murders as “totally unacceptable and an appalling violation of International Humanitarian Law. The perpetrators must be found and severely punished. “I stand in solidarity with our humanitarian partners who are risking their lives to provide protection and relief to people in Tigray”, Mr Guterres added.
Two weeks after the killing of the three humanitarian workers, MSF is calling for the government to investigate their deaths. No group has claimed responsibility for the attack, and the circumstances that led to their deaths is still unclear, the organisation says. The aid organisation was forced to suspend operations in Abi Adi, Adigrat and Axum, citing security concerns.
29 June 2021: Tigray Defence Forces march into Mekelle as Ethiopian troops flee
Videos of Tigray Defence Forces marching into Mekelle with cheering crowds swept the social media space. The troops received a hero’s welcome, with Tigrayans waving their flags and singing battle songs, thanking them for their efforts. The TDF has been on the offensive over the last two weeks, slowly pushing out Eritrean and Ethiopian forces from the countryside.
With news that Mekelle is under the control of TDF, the Ethiopian government was quick to refute the narrative that the troops fled the town. In an address, PM Abiy said that Mekelle is no longer “the centre of gravity for conflict.” He added that the troops could return in weeks if needed.
29 June 2021: Ethiopia declares ceasefire in Tigray as rebels take Mekele
The Ethiopian government declared an immediate and unilateral ceasefire in Tigray as government soldiers began retreating from the region. Along with this, rebel forces took the regional capital of Mekele. The statement was broadcast by Ethiopian state media after the interim administration, appointed by Addis Ababa, fled the region and called for a ceasefire on humanitarian grounds so that aid could be delivered to those in need. Adding to PM Abiy’s sentiments, the Abiy-appointed Tigray leader, Abraham Belay, said the objective of the ceasefire is “to facilitate aid deliveries and permit farmers to cultivate their crops in peace.”
The UN Secretary-General welcomed the ceasefire call. In a telephone call with the Ethiopian Prime Minister, he hoped that this step would be a harbinger of peace. This ceasefire will last until September when the planting season ends.
The UK has also called all parties to pull back from violence in Tigray and allow humanitarian workers access to the region. The government welcomed the announcement of a humanitarian ceasefire and urged all parties to make a similar announcement.
Through its Foreign Affairs minister Demeke Mekonnen, the Ethiopian government categorically denied accusations that the government is intentionally trying to “suffocate” the people of Tigray by denying them access to immediate aid. “The insinuation that we are trying to suffocate the Tigrayan people by denying humanitarian access and using hunger as a weapon of war is beyond the pale. There is absolutely no reason for us to do so. These are our people,” Demeke said. Though credible intelligence shows that Amhara forces destroyed the bridge, the Ethiopian government is insistent on placing the blame on Tigray forces.
The UN continues to call for full access to humanitarian aid into Tigray. The latest reports indicate 400 000 people are suffering from famine while another 1.8 million are on the brink of famine. UNHCR notes that the humanitarian conditions have “worsened drastically” in the recent weeks, with at least 50 000 more people facing famine and 33 000 children severely malnourished. The conflict has displaced two million people, and close to 5.2 million people require various degrees of humanitarian assistance.
4 July 2021: Tigray Defence Forces set conditions to ceasefire
Responding to the Ethiopian government’s call for a ceasefire after its troops withdrew from Mekele, the Tigray Defence Forces (TDF) have asserted that certain conditions must be met for them to agree to the ceasefire. Firstly, all Eritrean and Amhara forces must withdraw from Tigray and return to their pre-war territories. Secondly, PM Abiy and Eritrean President Afeworki must be held accountable for all the crimes committed in Tigray by their troops following an UN-led investigation. Thirdly, all humanitarian aid should be allowed into Tigray to assist the civilians who are suffering. Fourthly, full access to services such as electricity, telecommunication, banking, air travel, healthcare, transportation and commerce. Fifthly, all negotiations going forward should be based on the current constitution and through the democratically elected government of Tigray that the Abiy government does not recognise.
11 July 2021: Abiy Ahmed wins in a landslide amid troubles in Tigray
Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s ruling Prosperity Party (PP) overwhelmingly won general elections Saturday, meaning he will stay in power another term. Abiy’s party is expected to take more than 410 of the 546 parliamentary seats in the first round of the contest, Ethiopia’s sixth national election. Abiy, 44, took office in April 2018 following the resignation of his predecessor, becoming the first Oromo person to lead the country.
12 July 2021: Humanitarian organisations call for the unconditional passage of aid to Tigray
The humanitarian crisis in Tigray continues to worsen as government and regional forces restrict access to aid. The flow of aid has been made worse by the destruction of the Tekeze bridge allegedly by Amhara militia as they fled from Mekele and the closure of the airports in Shire and Mekelle. Succumbing to international pressure, the Ethiopian government allowed humanitarian flights to Tigray a week ago. Despite the government claims, no flight has taken off from Addis Ababa, according to the director-general of the Ethiopian civil aviation authority, Wesenyeleh Hunegnaw. He claimed that the foreign affairs ministry is the authority providing clearance of flights which is then sent to them,
The World Food Programme (WFP) has documented the four-day journey from Semera to Mekelle, consisting of a convoy of 50 trucks delivering 900 tonnes of food and other emergency supplies. The UN agency said that this is the first convoy passed through ten different checkpoints to reach Tigray since 2 July.
The UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) passed a resolution calling for the swift pullout of Eritrean troops from Ethiopia’s Tigray region. The council asserted that the presence of Eritrean troops is “exacerbating the conflict.” The resolution also called for the immediate halt of all humanitarian rights violations and abuses. Out of the 47 councils, 20 voted for the resolution, 14 opposed, and 13 abstained. As expected, Eritrea voted against the UN resolution.
In a statement, the UNHRC chief, Filippo Grandi, said that the various forces in Tigray must stop the “violence and intimidation of Eritrean refugees.” The UNHCR boss’ comments come as reports stream in that fighting in a refugee camp outside Alamata, a recently liberated town. Previously, two refugee camps – Shimelba and Hitsats – housing Eritrean refugees were set ablaze, forcing tens of thousands of refugees to flee to other parts of Tigray. To make matters worse, some credible reports indicate that some refugees have been abducted or arrested in several towns in Tigray, the most recent in Shire, a recently liberated town.
13 July 2021: US condemns attacks against civilians in Tigray
A spokesperson for the State Department said that the US strongly condemns all retaliatory attacks on civilians, either by the rebels or by government forces, and called for a full ceasefire. This development comes on the back of Secretary of State Anthony Blinken ordering a probe into whether the crimes in Tigray accounted to genocide or crimes against humanity.
The Tigray Defence Forces (TDF), the military wing of the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF), continue their pursuit to recover lost territory from Ethiopian forces and Amhara militias. TDF claimed to have taken control of Mai Tsebri, near Tekeze River, and Alamata, in southern Tigray from Amhara militias. Getachew Reda, the spokesperson for the Tigrayan forces, told the media that they will “liberate every square inch of Tigray.”
The new advances have placed pressure on the Amhara region who moved its forces into historically disputed lands but had been under Tigray administration. The National Movement of Amhara (NMA), a regional party, released a statement calling for “quick preparations to mobilise to the fronts.” District officials made similar statements.
The brewing tension between Amhara and Tigray is the next front that the world should be paying attention to. The Amhara wing of the prosperity party, PM Abiy’s coalition political party, is one of the powerful regional branches. PM Abiy will likely turn a blind eye to the conflict between the two states to ensure his coalition remains. A regional analyst notes that the Abiy government would be willing to ignore atrocities by Amhara militias since the disputed area shares a border with Sudan, which would cut off the supply of arms and other goods to the TDF from Sudan.
15 July 2021: PM Abiy, military chief, threatens new offensives against Tigray forces
– Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed threatened to start new offensives against Tigray forces as they enter traditional Amhara territory. While referring to the Tigray Defence Forces (TDF) as enemies of Ethiopia, he noted, in a Twitter post, that Ethiopia will “defend and repel these attacks by our internal and external enemies while working to speed up humanitarian efforts.” Similar sentiments were ushered by General Bacha Debele, who said that the military is ‘ready to restart the offensives and re0enter the areas occupied” by TDF. – The threat comes as the Ethiopian government called on the civilians to enlist in the military. Recruits from Oromia, Sidama region, and Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples’ region (SNNPR) are on their way to the frontline, state media Fana broadcasting corporate, reported.
17 July 2021: Tigray forces claim to free 1000 prisoners of war
– Tigray forces, Tigray Defence Forces (TDF), claim to have released around 1000 Ethiopian National Defence Forces (ENDF) captured during the war in the region. Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) leader, Debretsion Gebremicheal, told Reuters that those released were low ranking soldiers. He claimed that the TDF still has 5000 soldiers under their control. An unspecified number of ENDF officers will face trial, Gebremicheal noted.
18 July 2021: Aid convoy headed to Tigray attacked, WFP suspends aid deliveries by road
A convoy ferrying lifesaving food and non-food stuffs to Tigray was attacked, the UN said. The ten-vehicle World Food Programme (WFP) convoy was attacked about 115 kilometres from Semera town. WFP is working with local officials to determine who is behind the attack. Due to the attack, WFP announced they had suspended movement of all convoys from Semera until “security of the area can be assured, and drives can proceed safely.”
WFP said that after getting approval from the ministry, 30 aid workers and urgently needed relief supplies were flown to Mekele. The spokesperson said that the UN humanitarian air services are expected to operate twice weekly. So far, WFP has delivered aid to more than 730,000 people in the south and northwest Tigray over the past month.
23 July 2021: Fighting in Afar region in Ethiopia kills 20
At least 20 civilians have been killed and thousands more displaced in fighting in Afar between rebels and pro-government forces. The spokesperson of the TDF said their forces had “very limited action” in Afar targeting special forces militia fighters from the Oromia region. He dismissed the allegations that TDF killed civilians, calling them “Flat out lies.”
24 July 2021: Tigray War Extends into another Region for the First Time
For the first time since the conflict began eight months ago, the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) has entered another region in Ethiopia. Fighting began on July 17th, and forces were still fighting on Monday. The spokesman for the Tigrayan forces, Getachew Reda, has stated that the TPLF is more interested in degrading the enemy’s ability to fight, rather than capturing territory. This move came a few days after Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed announced that other regions would send troops to support the army already fighting the rebels. The conflict initially began in November, when Abiy sent troops into the Tigray region because of attacks on army caps by the TPLF. Victory was declared in November, yet the TPLF retook the Tigray capital Mekelle in June. While Abiy declared a unilateral ceasefire, the Tigray forces have pushed forward into new offensives. This last offensive on the Afar region is particularly important since the region links Addis Ababa to the seaport of Djibouti. So far, two million people have been displaced, five million are relying on emergency food aid, and tens of thousands have died.
Although Abiy has claimed that the situation is all but settled several times, these events throw doubt on that claim more than ever. Having received the Nobel Peace Prize in 2019, Abiy has overseen a conflict characterized by rampant sexual violence and bloody massacres. Abiy’s end-game seems questionable. Whether it is for optics or Abiy genuinely underestimating the determination and strength of the TPLF, the government consistently portrays itself as more confident than the situation should allow. Relations on the international stage have been harmed now, and domestic legitimacy has been lost. To prevent further suffering, the answer to what must be done is obvious: both sides must come together with the sole aim of protecting Ethiopians from further harm. Yet, it seems Abiy is pursuing the route of the Machiavellian strong-man while the TPLF are fighting for, what in their eyes, is a liberation struggle, as evidenced by their rebranding into the Tigray Defence Forces. The longer this conflict stretches, the greater the humanitarian crisis will become, and the more difficult it will be to find peace. It is difficult to imagine the aisle being crossed by either party when both are fighting for what they believe is a “just” cause. With the atrocities already committed, bad blood is bound to extend over generations, and yet the conflict seems far from over. Abiy will not find a strong Ethiopia if he continues down the path of attempting to subjugate the Tigray region. Conversely, the TPLF will find themselves the liberators of a decimated land. At the moment, both are the enemy of those caught in the crossfire.
24 July 2021: Ethiopian parents appeal to the UN to evacuate students stranded in Tigray
The parents of thousands of Ethiopian students stranded in Tigray has appeal to the UN to evacuate them and bring them to safety. The parents’ association went to the UN offices in Addis Ababa with a request letter at hand. Some parents say that they had not been able to speak to their children since the end of June.
The appeal comes as Mekelle University, the main university in the area and is federally funded, issued a statement through Facebook that the federal government has blocked its bank accounts. The statement added that the school had not received the funding for the upcoming academic year. Due to the constraints, the university added that it will not be able to take care of the students left behind on campus from 27 July.
UNHRC voices its concern over the fate of thousands of Eritrean refugees currently trapped in two Ethiopian camps in Tigray. They estimate that 24000 refugees are distributed between the two camps, Mai Alni and Adi Harush. The refugees face intimidation, harassment and have been cut off from humanitarian assistance. UNHRC said that they had lost all access to the refugee camps at the beginning of July.
The US is also deeply concerned with the reports of attacks against Eritrean refugees in Tigray. In a statement, the US State Department blamed the attacks on military forces allied to the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) and Tigrayan militias. The US called on all armed actors to stop the attacks on Eritrean refugees, asylum seekers and other displaced persons.
As attacks against Eritrean refugees increase, Eritrean refugees protested in front of UNHRC offices in Addis Ababa. They demanded the UN office relocate the thousands of refugees stuck in Tigray. Most protesters were from Hitsats and Shamballa refugee camps in Tigray, which were closed in February after being attacked and set on fire. They interviewed refugees also verified the claims that Tigray militias are responsible for the attacks on the refugee camps.
The Ethiopian government paraded the thousands of new recruits expected to travel to the frontline from Addis Ababa in the upcoming days. The Mayor of Addis Ababa’s office said at least 3000 young recruits, both men and women, joined the military ranks.
When interviewed by the media about their intentions of joining the military, some said it’s for economic reasons as they were jobless, others said that they would like to follow in the family’s footsteps who ‘bravely’ defended the country
29 July 2021: Ethiopia’s Tigray Conflict Expands Into Neighbouring Afar Region
(https://theowp.org/ethiopias-tigray-conflict-expands-into-neighbouring-afar-region/ )
In a territorial expansion of the violent conflict between the regional Tigrayan government and the official government of Ethiopia, the forces of the Tigrayan People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) party have initiated attacks in the neighbouring Afar region. Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s government issued a one-sided ceasefire and exited Tigray’s capital in late June, however, the TPLF’s offensive in Afar forecasts a lack of cooperation efforts needed to alleviate the growing humanitarian crisis in Tigray. The food insecurity and risk of famine caused by the conflict threatens to engulf the rest of Ethiopia as it touches Tigray, Amhara and now Afar. Since the outset of violence in Afar, the TPLF has asserted its attacks are in response to the enemy presence in the region, especially forces and militias deployed from Ethiopia’s largest region Oromia. Spokesman Getachew Reda told Reuters, “We are not interested in any territorial gains in Afar, we are more interested in degrading enemy fighting capabilities.”
Afar’s regional president, Awol Arba, argued, “some people think they invaded us because we hosted the Oromo forces, but that’s far from the truth, as they had the intention to separate and isolate us from Ethiopia by force.” He also urged civilians to fight back against Tigrayan forces, “with any means available, whether by guns, sticks or stones.” Afar could present a strategic territorial gain for Tigrayan fighters as the region’s highways connect the land-locked state to ports in Djibouti. Disruptions to the flow of resources and aid into Ethiopia through Djibouti would be catastrophic for a country facing famine, a powerful threat to be leveraged by the TPLF if it seizes control of the region. Regardless of whether this is a primary goal of the TPLF, fighting in Afar has already displaced over 54,000 people and caused at least 20 civilian deaths. A resolution needs to be reached to protect the lives and rights of civilians in Afar. Clashes between Tigray forces and the Ethiopian military in a new location may also contribute to the spread of Tigray’s extremely dire hunger situation into other parts of the country. Preventing an exacerbation of famine conditions and starvation should unequivocally be the goal of Tigray and all of Ethiopia, necessitating national dialogue and bilateral ceasefire agreements. An authoritative assessment of food security conducted through the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) stated that roughly 400,000 Tigrayans are experiencing acute food insecurity in the “Catastrophe” phase, and four million across Tigray, Amhara and Afar are classified in emergency or crisis phases of food insecurity. The famine is man-made, caused by soldiers blocking or stealing food aid and preventing farmers from harvesting and cultivating their fields, not by drought or other environmental factors. It has been reported that the Ethiopian military and forces deployed from Eritrea, a neighbouring country, have obstructed humanitarian aid from entering Tigray. The forces have been accused of destroying crops and health care facilities in the region as well.
Ethiopia seemed to be on a promising path when Abiy Ahmed first came to power in 2018. Abiy won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2019 for easing tensions with Eritrea and instituted a number of reforms in Ethiopia. Relations with the TPLF, which had ruled Ethiopia for 30 years prior to Abiy becoming prime minister, deteriorated, and the situation devolved into military conflict in November of 2020. That was when Abiy’s promising new government made a surprisingly sharp turn away from peace. Since then, Ethiopian and Eritrean forces have reportedly enacted severe human rights abuses against Tigrayan civilians, including mass killings, sexual violence, and the pillaging of communities. Both the TPLF and the Ethiopian government have been the cause of tragedy and death for the citizens of Ethiopia. It is clear that a bilateral ceasefire must be negotiated to put an end to the conflict that has permitted abuse and gave rise to widespread hunger. For the international community watching this crisis unfold, the question is how to encourage Ethiopia toward this resolution.
In response to the crisis, the United States, one of Ethiopia’s largest donors, restricted economic and security assistance to the country. The Ethiopian government decried the restrictions, claiming the U.S. is inappropriately meddling in its affairs. In a UN Security Council meeting, representatives for Ethiopia and the Russian Federation expressed a similar concern that the council’s interference would be an invasion into internal matters that would lack the needed delicacy and contextual understanding. However, as of the current moment, it seems unlikely that Ethiopia will achieve peace without outside pressure. The rhetoric of the Ethiopian government about the TPLF is entirely hostile, as they have not only been designated as terrorists but have also been called a “cancer” by Prime Minister Abiy. Abiy’s government has continually obfuscated the realities of the situation in Ethiopia, denying international concerns about famine and abuse. Many Ethiopians outside Tigray are vocally supportive of their army and Abiy in spite of these abuses. On the other side, Tigray continues to push into new territory despite their opponent’s attempts toward a ceasefire. The hostility demonstrated suggests that peace will not come easily, even when an increasingly dire humanitarian crisis is faced across Ethiopia. International actors must use the leverage they have to encourage a resolution, yet it is necessary to understand the situation in Ethiopia as complex and fragile. The narrative of Prime Minister Abiy as a champion of peace failed to capture the eventual reality of his governance. This should serve as a lesson for the current situation, that the careful monitoring and input of those directly impacted by Ethiopia’s crisis should be prioritized. One thing is certain: cooperative efforts in Ethiopia will be critical toward diverting a catastrophic famine that will endanger the country and all its citizens.
31 July 2021: French President calls for dialogue to end Tigray conflict
French President Emmanuel Macron has called for direct dialogue between stakeholders to end hostiles in Tigray. He called on all parties to respect of engagement that allows the safe delivery of humanitarian aid materials to desperate civilians who have been displaced by the conflict.
3 August 2021: Bodies wash up in Sudan’s border river
Bodies with gunshot wounds and hands tied behind their backs have washed up in a river in Sudan that borders Ethiopia. Dr Tewodros Tefera and other witnesses believe the victims are from Tigray region. So far, Sudanese authorities have retrieved 28 bodies. The doctor said that the bodies were badly decomposed, making it difficult to identify the victims.
In response, the Ethiopian government denies that there was any massacre in the border town city of Humera.
4 August 2021: Risk Of Mass Starvation Evident In Ethiopia’s Tigray Region As Conflict Escalates
In Ethiopia, the rising tensions between the Ethiopian central government and Tigrayan rebel force has posed a substantial threat of mass starvation among the civilian population in the northern Tigray region of Ethiopia. The United Nations has warned that the country of Ethiopia is on the path to a worsening humanitarian catastrophe. UNICEF has confirmed that in the next year, upwards of 100,000 children could face extreme hunger in response to the continued fighting in Tigray. The humanitarian crisis in the Tigray region continues to worsen as the Ethiopian government enforces a blockade on the lone road into the conflict-torn region of Tigray. This blockade has made it tremendously difficult for aid workers and relief convoys to distribute humanitarian supplies into Tigray. Many humanitarian aid workers have been under attack for travelling on the road to provide Tigrayan citizens with important supplies to combat the food and medical shortages. The United Nations has explained that there needs to be more daily trucks carrying humanitarian supplies to the civilians facing famine-like conditions. However, these trucks are not being permitted to travel to the Tigray region, preventing more than 4.8 million people with important humanitarian aid and relief.
A letter sent to the Ethiopian government explaining the inhumane conditions and situations of the civilians in May K’inet’al, points to the larger devastation of the conflict. As explained by the district leader of May K’inet’al, Berhe Desta Gebremariam, in the letter sent to the Ethiopian government, “There is no access to clean water; electricity, phone communication, banking, health care, and access to humanitarian aid are blocked… People are unable to move around to save their lives because Eritrean troops completely put us under siege with no transportation, and people are condemned to suffer and die.” Death by starvation is now becoming much more common, especially where humanitarian aid is harder to access. According to Human Rights Watch, the reactions from the United Nations and influential governments have been slow-moving and mixed. Within the last few months, the United States, the European Union, and the United Kingdom have made a more coordinated response to the conflict by calling for more clear access to aid and an investigation into the human rights abuses. There has been an established commission of inquiry by The African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights which needs financial, technical, and political support from the African Union. There has been a much slower response from the UN Human Rights Council, who only began to consider the situation of Tigray in mid-July. The UN Security Council was stagnant in its decisions to discuss the matter of Ethiopia with some members, citing that the conflict was an “internal matter.” The current conflict within Ethiopia has reached a dangerous peak. However, the conflict does not seem to be slowing down despite a unilateral ceasefire declaration. The inability to achieve peace within the Ethiopian conflict points to the larger difficulties surrounding conflict termination. In this case, the declaration of a unilateral ceasefire by the Ethiopian government was not recognized by the Tigrayan rebel forces. Instead, both actors of the conflict have continued their fighting and increased their military forces. However, this continued conflict has taken a tremendous toll on the unarmed Tigrayan civilians who are facing increased humanitarian crises.
Ethiopia’s government’s decision to block humanitarian aid to Tigray points to the larger issue of how hunger and starvation is being used as a weapon of war. Despite the Ethiopian government denying these allegations, it is evident that the block of food and medical aid is very much intentional. On Tuesday, Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed explained in his remarks that the Tigrayan civilians need to decide who they want as their leaders. This was greatly emphasized in his remarks stating, “If they are cheering after we left — while we were the ones who had been giving them wheat — they need a time of silence.” There are over four million people in need of food aid in Tigray. Many of them lost their farms and business through the burning of crops and looting by Ethiopian, Eritrean, and Amhara troops, which has forced many to flee to Sudan or suffer from intense starvation. The fighting is continuing without any consideration of the civilians in the region. The Ethiopian government has been claiming that it is not responsible for this crisis. However, it is playing a direct role in the deterioration of the safety of civilians and the region at large by blocking humanitarian aid.
It is clear that the conflict between the Ethiopian government and Tigrayan rebel forces will not end anytime in the near future. However, what is clear is that there is a big humanitarian crisis facing the civilians in Tigray. Many are experiencing intense famine-like conditions with no supplies or support providing emergency aid. Not only has there been a blockade preventing the ability of humanitarian relief groups to provide the civilians with food and medical materials, but there have also been numerous atrocities committed by both sides of the conflict directly against civilians. It is crucial that unbiased international intervention be considered to help end this conflict between the Ethiopian government and Tigrayan rebel forces. Since the unilateral ceasefire proved to not be effective in ending the violent conflict, the next step needs to look at how unbiased intervention can help to alleviate the turmoil in the region. By introducing a third party as a mediator between the two actors in the conflict, there may be a better chance of reaching an agreed-upon settlement. As explained by David Cunningham in his article “Veto Players and Civil War Duration,” external actors’ roles in a conflict have a profound effect on the ability to end it by “intervening to enforce an agreement to end the war or providing support to one side in an attempt to win the conflict” (Cunningham 878). The strong commitment from external actors can provide the country with a better chance of reaching negotiations which can establish the most durable peace possible. As of right now, the international community needs to make a commitment towards helping these civilians who are facing dire humanitarian crises. There needs to be a clear reprimand from the international community towards the Ethiopian government that should outline the consequences if this type of injustice is continued. Also, the humanitarian aid workers need to have uninterrupted access to Tigray to help prevent famine and human rights abuses against the civilians. This can only happen if there is a dialogue between the Ethiopian government and Tigrayan rebel forces, which can lead to the end of the conflict and atrocities.
4 August 2021: Ethiopia suspends three aid agencies for ‘disseminating misinformation.”
The Ethiopian government announced that three aid agencies had been suspended over “disseminating misinformation on social media and other platforms. The three aid agencies, the Dutch section of Doctors without Borders (Medicine San Frontières MSF), Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC), and Maktoume Foundation, were further accused of operating outside their mandate and “purpose for which the organizations were permitted to operate.” Giving specifics, the government said that MFS was illegally importing and using satellite radio communication equipment which is not authorized by authorities. Maktoume foundation was accused of failing to comply with COVID-19 protocols, budget mismanagement and problems with staff management. All three organizations were accused of allowing their foreign staff of working without valid work permits.
The move by the Ethiopian government was widely condemned
4 August 2021: USAID boss calls on Tigray forces to withdraw from neighbouring regions
The Head of the US Agency for International Development (USAID), Samantha Power, has called on the Tigray forces to “immediately” withdraw from the two neighbouring regions. Currently, the Tigray Defence Forces (TDF) is occupying towns and villages in historically Afar and Amhara regions. USAID head added that there is no military solution to address the internal issues affecting Ethiopia. She urged all sides to end all hostilities, call for a ceasefire and start dialogue.
The Ethiopian government warned it would respond militarily to stop Tigray forces’ advances in neighbouring regions. In a statement released on social media by the Ethiopian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the government stated that the actions of the Tigray forces “is testing the federal government patience and pushing it to change its defensive mood which has been taken for the sake of the unilateral humanitarian ceasefire.” The government also claimed that the offensives by the Tigrayan forces has led to 300 000 people to be displaced and has left “thousands dead.”
6 August 2021: Tigray forces take over UNESCO site Lalibela town
Tigray forces announced they had marched into Lalibela, a UNESCO site, in the Amhara region. Thousands of residents fled as the Tigrayan troops entered the town. The UNESCO site, Lalibela, is the home of 11 medieval monolithic churches carved out of rock. Some fear that the historical sites are in danger of being destroyed. The US State Department called on the rebels to “protect this cultural heritage.”
The new advances by the Tigray Defence Forces (TDF) caused the Amhara regional government to respond. The regional head of peace and security, Sema Tiruneh, said “this is the time for the Amhara people to crush the terrorist group. He added that the state is preparing to call up army reservists for a fresh offensive.
10 August 2021: PM Abiy calls on Ethiopians to join the armed forces
The Ethiopian Prime Minister, Abiy Ahmed, issued a call to Ethiopians to join the armed forces to fight in Tigray and the neighbouring states. In a statement from the Prime Minister’s office, he said, “now it’s the right time for all capable Ethiopians who are of age to join the defence forces, special forces and militias and show your patriotism.”
A few weeks earlier, the military paraded 3000 new recruits of young men and women in Addis Ababa. The recruits were expected to go to the frontline days after the parade.
12 August 2021: ‘Ethiopia using rape as a strategy in Tigray wa” – Amnesty says
A new report by Amnesty International asserts that the Ethiopian military and its allies, including Eritrean forces, are responsible for widespread sexual violence against women in Tigray. The forces are using rape as a strategy of war during the nine-month conflict. The basis of the allegations comes from detailed interviews by survivors who recount the horrific experiences in the hands of soldiers.
In response, the Foreign Affairs ministry accused Amnesty of waging “sensationalised attacks and smear campaigns” against Ethiopia. They added that the country condemns all sexual violence in all circumstances.
12 August 2021: Tides in the Tigray war change as Tigrayan forces create an alliance with the Oromo
The head of the Tigray People’s Liberation Front, Debrestion Gebremicheal, told Reuters that the group is in talks with the Oromo Liberation Army OLA), with the hopes to create an alliance against the Abiy administration. Gebremicheal declined to give more details to the potential alliance. However, the spokesperson for the TPLF, Getachew Reda, told Reuters that a “sort of agreement” is in the works. On the side of the Ola, the spokesperson, Odaa Tarbii, said that the two sides are sharing intelligence and coordinating strategies. In an interview with BBC, the OLA leader, Kumisa Diriba, uttered similar sentiments as the spokesperson, adding that both sides are looking for “freedom and space.”
The Oromo Liberation Army (OLA) is a splinter group of the Oromo Liberation Front (OLF). OLF was operating in exile until when PM Abiy took office in 2018. Both the TPLF and OLA were designated as terrorist groups by the parliament earlier in the year.
12 August 2021: Ethiopia Rejects Sudan’s Offer To Mediate The Tigray War
(https://theowp.org/ethiopia-rejects-sudans-offer-to-mediate-the-tigray-war/) – Sudanese Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok has recalled his country’s ambassador from Addis Ababa, only days after Ethiopia rejected Sudan’s offer to mediate the Tigray War. The conflict in the Tigray region of Ethiopia erupted last November after national military camps were attacked by the regional governing party. Since then, Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed has sent in troops which have struggled over the region for months, resulting in a humanitarian crisis with thousands dead and 60,000 having fled to Sudan. This conflict has been marked by bloody massacres and sexual violence on both sides, and it is in the interest of all civilians that it ends as soon as possible. However, the move to mediate made by Sudan (and subsequent rejection) highlights other tensions in the area. – A spokesperson for Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, speaking to the recent diplomatic situation, described ties with Sudan as a “little bit tricky.” This is in reference to a decade-long border dispute between the two countries that straddles rich agricultural land. Late last year, Sudan deployed troops into this region and called on Ethiopia to remove their troops from several points. This comes on the heels of another dispute between Ethiopia, Sudan, and Egypt around the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD). As genuine as Sudan’s offer to mediate may have been, its status as a credible party in this capacity would definitely be called into question. – The rejection of the offer to mediate and the subsequent recall of an ambassador only serve to underscore the complex relationships in the region, especially between Sudan and Ethiopia. There is a mire of historical, cultural, and geographic circumstances that must be slogged through before common ground is found. But when the politics of the region focuses on these differences, it is progress and the lives of citizens that ultimately find themselves in the crossfire. The solution is as obvious as it is implausible: a political imagination that allows bygones to be bygones while focusing on the historical, cultural, and geographic circumstances that drive these countries together. – These circumstances are not necessarily lost on the respective political leadership, but they are overshadowed by an antagonistic international political stage. In a system that pits nations against one another, decisiveness and a plan are necessary for steering the nation-state. In the end, the leaders of Ethiopia and Sudan will have to decide how much they are willing to sacrifice for peace. The windfall that may come from winning a diplomatic spat is at stake for each leader, but the pursuance of a multilateral peace is as much an ideological project as it is materialistic.
13 August 2021: Humanitarian conditions continue to worsen as war spreads to three regions
– OCHA says that the humanitarian conditions in Tigray continue to worsen as the conflict spread to other regions. The humanitarian crisis affected an estimated 5 million people, with more than 2.1 million internally displaced. In Tigray, electricity, telecommunications, and banking services continued to be disconnected. Despite assurance from the Foreign Affairs ministry that fights could go to Mekele, air travel continues to be a challenge. The inability to use the airspace to transport life-saving aid to Tigray and neighbouring regions remains a priority for aid organisations. Travelling by road remains dangerous seen when a WPF convoy was set on fire by armed groups. The inability to access public services and commercial commodities is increasing the worsening humanitarian crisis. In Afar and Amhara regions, humanitarian agencies have begun delivering aid to the thousands of displaced Ethiopians. – UN’s Immigration Organisation for Migration (IOM) has called for donors to provide USD $27 Million to provide shelter for the internally displaced persons in Tigray.
14 August 2021: African Union to probe tweet blasting US calls for dialogue
– The African Union said it launched an investigation after its official Twitter handle was used to attack USAID head, Samantha Power, who had called for dialogue to end the Tigray war. USAID head retweeted a post by US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan, which called for “al parties to urgently come to the negotiating table.” She then wrote that the country’s humanitarian situation is likely to worsen unless all hostiles end and parties agree to dialogue. The official AU Twitter page then twitted, “Good Lord, you mean just like the time you sat and talked to ISIS and Taliban?” its post said, before using a hashtag to refer to rebels from Ethiopia’s war-hit Tigray region as terrorists — which is also the Ethiopian government’s position.” The tweet has since been deleted. – The AU tweeted, “An (AU) staff member shared personal views on this handle, contrary to AU staff rules. The now-deleted tweet does not reflect the AU position and is viewed as a serious breach of conduct. The incident is being investigated internally.”
15 August 2021: Ethiopian forces take control of two towns in Tigray region
– The Ethiopian forces claimed to have taken control of two strategic towns in the Southern Tigray region. The Ethiopian National Defence Forces (ENDF) took control of Maychew and Ambalagie towns in a counteroffensive. Reports say that the capture of the two towns in Southern Tigray has caused several towns like Korem, Alamata, and Kobo to be cut off from their command centre in Mekelle, the regional capital. The Ethiopian military claimed to have inflicted heavy losses on the Tigray Defence Forces (TDF).
23 August 2021: US continues to exert pressure on Eritrea through sanctions
The US State Department announced new sanctions against Eritrea over their involvement in the Tigray war. Through the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), the new sanctions target General Filipos Woldeyohannes, the chief of staff of the Eritrean Defence Forces (EDF). In a press statement from the Director of OFAC, Andrea M Gacki, the new sanctions “demonstrate the United States’ commitment to imposing costs on those responsible for these despicable acts, which worsen a conflict that has led to tremendous suffering by Ethiopians.” In addition, she called for the immediate withdrawal of all Eritrean troops.
25 August 2021: Eritrean troops ignore calls to withdraw, send more troops to Ethiopia
Despite numerous calls from the international community and the UN, reports show Eritrean troops are still entering Ethiopia’s Tigray region. The US and EU have warned over the recent developments of Eritrean troops crossing the border into Ethiopia. According to Reuters, the Eritrean troops have taken “defensive positions with tanks and artillery” in the Western part of Tigray. The increase of Eritrean troops raises the prospect of escalating violence in the eleven-month war. The new development comes after a secret trip to Asmara by Ethiopia’s PM Abiy on 17 August, on his way to Turkey. Some Eritrean troops withdrew in June.
26 August 2021: 210 killed in attack in Oromia, Ethiopia rights commission
Unidentified gunmen killed at least 210 people over the past week in Oromia Ethiopian rights commission told the media. The armed men indiscriminately fired against civilians in Gida Kiremu district in the Eastern Wollega zone. According to the residents, the gunmen marched into town on 18 August after security forces withdrew from the area. Upon arrival, the gunmen killed at least 150 people, then the subsequent days killed another 60 civilians. The killing caused a mass exodus with fears of more violence. Unverified claims say that the gunmen belong to the Oromo Liberation Army (OLA), a splinter group of the Oromo Liberation Front (OLF). OLA denied the allegation.
27 August 2021: UN Secretary General raises alarm over ‘humanitarian catastrophe’ in Tigray conflict
UN Secretary General, Antonio Guterres, warned the UN Security Council (UNSC) of the impending humanitarian catastrophe resulting from the Tigray conflict. Over the past 11 months, two million people have been displaced from their homes, and millions more are in need of humanitarian assistance. UNSG said that the ‘human price of this war is mounting day by day….at least 400 000 people are living in famine-like conditions.” The UN chief criticised the ‘de facto humanitarian blockade,” which is making the situation worse. In his address, Guterres said, “inflammatory rhetoric and ethnic profiling and tearing apart the social fabric of the country.” He urged all parties to end hostilities with preconditions.
31 August 2021: Tigrayan rebels looted aid supplies – US agencies
US aid agency (USAID) said that the Tigray rebels had looted aid warehouses, which is a great concern of humanitarian agencies. In a televised interview, Sean Jones, the head of USAID mission in Ethiopia, said that “We know for a fact…that the TPLF, every town they’ve gone into, they have looted the warehouses, they’ve looted trucks. They have caused a great deal of destruction in all the villages they visited, and it’s a great concern for humanitarians.”
1 September 2021: Sudan summoned Ethiopia’s envoy after 29 bodies found in river
After 29 bodies floated in the banks of a river from Ethiopia, Sudan Foreign Affairs Minister summoned Ethiopia’s envoy. The Foreign Affairs ministry said that the bodies had been identified as ethnically Tigrayans. The bodies were discovered between 26 July ad 8 August on the Sudanese Setit River.
4 September 2021: Amhara youths take up arms against Tigray rebels
Adhering to the call from government officials, Amhara youths have taken up arms to “defend” the regional state from Tigray rebels. The officials called for armed militias to protect the Amhara after reports of Tigrayan forces were moving to retake disputed land long the regional border. Various Amhara militias, including FANO, occupied land in Western Tigray and are implicated in committing mass human rights abuses, including executions.
One of the schools in Gondar in the region has been turned into a training centre for the hundreds of youth volunteers. The training teaches the art of camouflage and basic infantry skills, including weapons training. Upon completion of the short training, the hundreds of youth are taken to the front line to fight alongside the Ethiopian National Defence Forces (ENDF).
5 September 2021: Sudan seizes weapons from Ethiopia
The Sudanese authorities seized 72 boxes of Russian-made that arrived in the country’s capital, Khartoum. The shipment came from Ethiopia’s capital city of Addis Ababa. The weapons were stuck in Ethiopia since May 2019 and were finally released to the owner, who is Sudanese. The boxes contained weapons and night vision goggles. Sudanese state officials said the weapons were “destined to be used in crimes against the state, impeding the democratic change and preventing the transitions to the civil state.”
7 September 2021: UN denies refugee camp in Sudan used as bolthole for Tigray rebels
The UN vehemently denied claims that the refugee camp in Sudan is being used by the Tigrayan rebels. The statement came after an Ethiopian official claimed that several Tigray rebels were allegedly caught with refugee identification cards issued by UNHCR. Ethiopia’s Foreign Affairs Minister said, “the TPLF has tried to expand the conflict by entering Benishungul Gumuz and Amhara regions crossing the long Sudanese border.” In response to the allegations, the UN official told AFP that UNHCR is “not in a position to verify” the allegation. However, they added that the UN had made precautionary efforts to disarm those refugees coming into the camps and separating them from the civilian population.
8 September 2021: Tigrayan rebels strongly deny reports of mass killing in Amhara region
Tigrayan forces have strongly denied reports by Reuters of mass killings in the Amhara region. The Reuters report claimed that on 1 and 2 September, Tigrayan rebels killed at least 120 civilians in a village outside Dabat town.
The Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) called the report “a fabricated allegation.” The statement further called for an independent investigation into all atrocities. They also said they would grant access to independent media to areas they control for them to conduct investigations or verify allegations. Reuters asserted that they had verified the findings of their report that Tigrayan rebels massacred civilians in the Amhara region.
13 September 2021: UN says joint probe into Tigray conflict did not reach Axum
The United Nations Human Rights head, Michelle Bachelet, stated that the joint report with Ethiopia’s Human Rights Commission did not reach Axum, one of the sites of the deadliest massacres. She added that the investigation team could not travel to eastern and central Tigray. Michelle said the reason for not reaching those areas was the changing security situation in the area, though she didn’t mention specifics. The joint report is expected to be published on 1 November, almost a year to the date the Ethiopian military began ‘Operation Law and Order’. So far, the UNHCR head said the investigation has unearthed “multiple allegations of human rights violations, including attacks on civilians, extrajudicial killings, torture and enforced disappearance among other grave abuses.” The report will implicate both Ethiopian forces and Tigray Defence Forces (TDF), who have targeted civilians. Bachelet noted that both sides and their affiliated militias had recruited children to fight amongst its ranks
17 September 2021: President Biden authorises sanctions in Tigray conflict
The United States (US) President, Joe Biden, signed an executive order allowing the US government to impose sanctions against those responsible for a range of serious human rights abuses in the Tigray region of Ethiopia. The sanctions allow the US government to deny visas and freeze assets of individuals and entities responsible for or complicit in serious abuses and obstructing access to humanitarian aid.
18 September 2021: UN says hundreds of aid trucks have ‘not returned’ from Tigray
The United Nations announced that hundreds of trucks dispatched to Tigray with lifesaving materials have not returned. According to the World Food Programme (WFP) spokesperson, only 38 trucks out of the 445 non-WFP contracted trucks have returned from the Tigray region since 12 July. Gemma Snowdon said that “at this moment, this is the primary impediment to moving humanitarian aid into Tigray. We are unable to assemble convoys of significant size due to lack of trucks.”
21-30 September 2021: partial elections take place in Ethiopia
Partial elections are expected to begin in three regional states in Ethiopia. The three regions are the Somali region, the eastern city of Harar and Southwest Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples’ region (SNNPR). However, logistical challenges and insecurity have forced at least 26 constituencies, 18 in Amhara and eight in Oromia, not to hold elections during the new round of elections. The spokesperson did not specify how many constituencies in Afar and Benishungul Gumuz regions would not partake in the election exercise. The elections aim to elect 47 federal parliamentarians and 105 regional parliamentarians, said the election board spokesperson, Solyana Shimeles. The election must take place before the new Abiy government takes form on 4 October 2021.
Opposition groups in the Somali region boycotted the elections. Ethiopian Citizens for Social Justice (EZEMA), Freedom and Equality Party (FEP) and Ogaden National Liberation Front (ONLF) withdrew from the election, stating that the current environment is not concussive for elections. In a joint statement, EZEMA and FEP claimed that previously stolen ballots were never recovered and are being used in the current election.
24 September 2021: US Congress discuss designating Tigray conflict as genocide
The US House of Representatives passed legislation that would force the Biden administration to classify the actions by Ethiopia and Eritrea actions in the Tigray as genocide. The provision in the Defence Authorisation bill, which was introduced by Democrat Tom Malinowski, passed 316-113. The Senate is yet to vote on its own version of the bill
25 September 2021: Ethiopia urges international community not to ‘meddle in internal affairs’
While addressing the United Nations Security Council, Ethiopia’s Deputy Prime Minister Demeke Mekonnen urged the international community not to meddle in the country’s internal affairs. He called on them to employ a “constructive approach, cultivate trust and ensure understanding.” He alluded that some individuals are using the ploy of humanitarian work to advance “political considerations.” Therefore, he advised the international community to “adhere to the principles of neutrality, independence, humanity and laws of the country.” Finally, DPM Mekonnen said Ethiopia would welcome an African Union-led process to deal with its internal issues. In response to the executive order by President Biden allowing the US to place sanctions on entities or individuals involved in the Tigray war, “Prescription and punitive measures never helped improve the situation or relations,” the DPM told the council.
27 September 2021: Several Ethiopian embassies abroad have shut down
Ethiopia’s Foreign Affairs Ministry announced the closure of several of its embassies abroad. The government had announced their intention to close embassies earlier in the year as a cost-saving measure. They had said that an embassy could easily be used to support efforts in several countries rather than operating in every country. The first embassy to be closed is Algeria, with the foreign affairs ministry saying the “decision could be reconsidered at any time in the future.” Later, the Foreign Affairs ministry said the embassies in Egypt and Ireland will be closed “in the next three to six months.”
Unsurprisingly, analysts have said the closure of the embassies in Egypt and Ireland are more political in nature. With the Resistance dam issue unresolved and the talks stagnant, it makes sense that Ethiopia would shut down its embassy. However, the Ambassador to Egypt, Markos Tekle, noted that the closure had nothing to do with the Grad Ethiopian Resistance Dam (GERD). Meanwhile, Ireland and Ethiopia’s relations have been deteriorating as of late due to the Irish support of sanctions against Ethiopia in the UNSC. In response to the embassy’s closure in Dublin, the Foreign Affairs Ministry issued a statement regretting the decision to close the embassy by Ethiopia. The statement further said that Ireland has been at the forefront of raising the issue of the Tigray crisis at the UNSC and EU and will continue to do so while calling for “unimpeded humanitarian access, ceasefire and dialogue.”
1 October 2021: Ethiopia expels UN staff for ‘meddling in internal affairs.”
The Ethiopian government expelled seven senior UN officials, accusing them of “meddling in internal affairs.” The UN staff members from UNHCR, OCHA, and UNICEF were given 72 hours to leave the country. The government accused the UN officials of diverting aid and communication equipment to the Tigray Defence Forces (TDF), violating security arrangements, failing to demand the return of aid trucks deployed to Tigray, and spreading information. Therefore, the seven UN staff members have been declared persona non grata.
The expulsion of the UN staff was condemned internationally. In response, UN Secretary-General said he “was shocked by the news,” adding that he was confident that UN staff in Ethiopia are doing the work they are supposed to be doing. The spokesperson of the UN, Farhan Haq, said that the doctrine could not be applied to the UN staff, adding that the officials remain in Ethiopia. The US strongly condemned the act, calling on the Ethiopians to reverse the decision. UNICEF called the decision by Ethiopia to expel its staff as “regrettable and alarming.” The UN agency assured the Ethiopian government that it operates in the principles of impartiality, humanity, neutrality and independence.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said, “the explosion is counterproductive to international efforts to keep civilians safe and deliver lifesaving humanitarian assistance to the millions in dire needed.”
The UN staff’s expulsion came just a few days after the UN humanitarian chief, Martin Griffiths, said that the de facto blockade imposed by the government has ‘imposed famine on hundreds of thousands of people” in Tigray region.
2 October 2021: Detained former official from Tigray interim government appears in court
A former senior official from the interim Tigray government appeared in court over allegations of inciting conflict between the Tigrayan people and the central government. Abraha Desta, who served as the head of the Bureau of Social Affairs, was also charged with possessing an illegal gun. Local reports claim that the official was arrested after he wrote an open letter to the Mayor of Addis Ababa about the mass arrests of ethnically Tigrayan in the capital city and mounting discrimination.
Desta was a member of the opposing party group, Arena, which opposed TPLF. In fact, he had spent three years in jail under the former TPLF-led government. He was part of the interim Tigray government until the Tigrayan Defence Forces (TDF) retook Mekelle from Ethiopian troops
4 October 2021: Police arrest journalist of leading newspaper
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6 October 2021: Ethiopian Airlines accused of transporting weapons to Tigray conflict
An investigation by CNN uncovered that the Ethiopian government has been using Ethiopian airlines to transport weapons throughout the conflict in Tigray. CNN investigated six instances between 9 and 28 November 2020 where the airline “billed the Ethiopian ministry of defence tens of thousands of dollars for military items including guns and ammunition to be shipped to Eritrea.” The investigation cited “cargo documents and manifests” and “eyewitness accounts and photographic evidence.” They also uncovered that the airline has been travelling between Addis Ababa and Eritrean airports ferrying weapons. Ethiopian Airlines released a statement denying the findings of the investigation by CNN. The airline said they “strictly comply with all national, regional and international aviation-related regulations.” They added that “to the best of their knowledge and its records, it has not transported any war armament in any of its routes by any of its aircrafts.” If allegations are true, Ethiopian Airlines is in violation of international aviation law, which prohibits the use of civilian aircrafts to transport military weapons. In addition, the airline’s membership into the Star Alliance might be in jeopardy over the allegation.
4-7 October 2021: PM Abiy sworn into office amidst Tigray conflict, adds opposition to cabinet
Months after winning the June election, PM Abiy was officially sworn into office for the next five years. He was sworn in by the President of the Supreme Court of Ethiopia. Following his swearing-in ceremony, PM Abiy created his cabinet, which included opposition members. The opposition members of the new Cabinet are from the Citizens for Social Justice (EZEMA), National Movement of Amhara (NAMA) and Oromo Liberation Front (OLF). Prof Birhanu Nega was appointed minister of education, Belete Mola as minister of innovation and technology while Merdasa Tulu as minister of culture and sports. Abiy also made changes to his 22-member cabinet. Abraham Belay, who previously served as the head of the interim Tigray region administration, is the new defence minister, while Binalf Andualem is the peace minister. The minister of water, in charge of all the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) talks with Egypt and Sudan, is now Habtamu Itefa, who served as the head of the water bureau in Abiy’s native Oromia region.
7 October 2021: UN Secretary-General demands Ethiopia provide evidence over allegations of UN staff
The UN Secretary-General has asked Ethiopia to provide evidence that led to the expulsion of seven UN staff for allegations of misconduct. While talking to the media, Guterres said it’s his “duty to defend the honour of the United Nations.” He added that the UN believes that Ethiopia is “violating international law” in expelling the UN staff without providing any evidence. Guterres said they had asked PM Abiy twice for the evidence but had not responded to the request. He said that the institution is willing to work with the Ethiopian government. Last week, the Ethiopian government expelled seven senior UN staff, including the head of the humanitarian agency, OCHA, accusing them of “meddling in internal affairs.” The Ethiopian Ambassador to the UN, Tay Atske Selassie Made, said that the officials had falsified data claiming hunger was used as a weapon of war in Tigray and that people have died from hunger. He added that the officials are also supporting Tigray forces.
8 October 2021: Humanitarian crisis in Tigray continues to worsen
The UN Office of Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) maintained that the humanitarian situation in Tigray continues to deteriorate. The spread of the conflict into other regions has added to the worsening conditions. Humanitarian access in large areas in Tigray remains viable, with 75% of the region fully accessible. Unfortunately, many places in northern, western and southern parts neighbouring Eritrea are inaccessible due to the fluid security situation. Lack of fuel and cash is significantly impacting the humanitarian response. The humanitarian crisis has made the prices of normal commodities skyrocket to unaffordable levels, with the inflation level rising to 34 percent. On the positive side, 80 trucks of humanitarian supplies arrived in Tigray via the Afar region between 29 September and 5 October. Since August, 444,000 people in the Amhara region and 72,000 internally displaced people (IDPs) in Afar have received food assistance.
9-11 October 2021: Ethiopian military launch new offensives in Tigray
The Ethiopian military has launched a new ground offensive against the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF). While addressing the new offensive, Ahmed Abiy’s spokesperson Billeni Seyoum, said that the government will continue to “counter the TPLF’s destruction, violence, and killings in the Amhara region and elsewhere. “The TPLF spokesperson, Getachew Reda, confirmed the reports, adding that the Ethiopian soldiers, alongside the Amhara militias, are attempting to push the Tigray forces out of the northern Amhara region. He added that the forces had begun the offensives on three fronts, in Amhara region’s Wegelten, Wurgessa and Haro towns. The Tigray external affairs office noted that airstrikes, drone strikes and heavy artillery bombardments are underway. The northern region of Amhara, including North Gondar and North Wollo zones, has been bombarded by several airstrikes attempting to remove Tigray forces from the area. In response to the airstrikes, spokesperson Reda said that he is confident that the Tigray forces will “thwart the offensive in all fronts and more.”
A regional analyst, Samuel Getachew, said that the government has been mobilising for some time now. He claimed that the British government asked its citizens to avoid the Tigray region earlier in the week, signalling an offensive was about to commence.
18-22 October 2021: Ethiopian military bombards Mekelle with airstrikes for four days
Over the past four days, Tigrayans have suffered heavy military bombardments in the capital city of Mekelle and its surroundings in the hands of the Ethiopian military. The government spokesperson, Legesse Tulu, told the media that the new round of airstrikes are targeting “facilities that Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) have turned into arms construction and repair armaments sites.”
In response to the airstrikes, the TPLF spokesperson, Getachew Reda, told Reuters that one of the airstrikes had caused damage to the Mekelle University. The government denied the allegations from the TPLF, maintaining that they are targeting military posts. The UN Office of Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) has said one of the airstrikes has killed three children and wounded an unspecified number of civilians. The Ayder Referral Hospital is treating nine civilians, including a five-year-old child. The government is yet to comment on civilian deaths. Interviewed witnesses and a humanitarian source said one of the airstrikes hit the Mesfin Industrial engineering PLC, a factory the government believes supports the TPLF. Spokesperson Reda said that the airstrike hit a private company compound instead of the engineering complex, though he did not provide further details.
The airstrikes have caused more displacement, with many Tigrayans fleeing to neighbouring regions, mainly Amhara. Speaking to the media, a resident of Mekelle said that the city is panicking. He added that bus fare to Addis Ababa had increased six-fold due to the security risk. Amhara has borne most of the internally displaced Tigrayans, with more than 500,000 people crossing into the region. A local official told the media that the airstrikes had led 900 Tigrayans to flee to Amhara. In addition, the influx of IDPs has added pressure to the organisation that is feeding the displaced persons.
The international community has voiced their concerns over the new rounds of airstrikes. The US has condemned the airstrikes, adding that they are against any “continuing escalation of violence putting civilians in harm’s way.” The UN spokesperson said Secretary-General Gutters is “deeply concerned” over the escalation of the conflict in Tigray. He added that the organisation is trying to verify the details and assess the impact of the airstrikes. Finally, he stressed that all parties in the conflict should “prioritise the welfare of the people and provide the necessary support for critical humanitarian assistance flow” into the country.
22 October 2021: UN cancels flights to Tigray following four days of airstrikes
The UN announced they had suspended all flights to the embattled region of Tigray in Ethiopia following four days of heavy airstrikes. While travelling to Mekelle, a UN flight with 11 passengers was forced to abort the landing and return to Addis Ababa. The UN official told the media that the Ethiopian government was aware that the UN humanitarian flight was scheduled to travel to the region, which the government has confirmed. The government spokesperson added that though they were aware of the flight, the UN and military flights have “different times and directions,” surmising that it would not have affected the UN flight. The UN humanitarian chief, Martin Griffiths, said that the humanitarian agency was not given prior warning or information about the airstrikes.
The Ethiopian government has maintained that the airstrikes target the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) military training facilities in the region’s capital city of Mekelle.
22 October 2021: Tigray rebels parade captured government troops
The Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) paraded recently captured government forces in Mekele. The TPLF ferried about 400 soldiers and allied militiamen on a large truck to the capital city
28 October 2021: ten killed, dozens injured in new airstrikes
In fresh airstrikes in Mekelle, at least ten people have been confirmed dead and dozens more injured. Some sources report that children are among the dead. According to witnesses and hospital sources, more than 27 people were injured in the air raid. Tigray People’s Liberation Forces (TPLF) spokesperson Getachew Reda confirmed the airstrike, adding that it was the sixth airstrike on Mekelle. The airstrike targeted Mesfin Industrial Engineering, located in the centre of town. It is the second time airstrikes have targeted the complex.
2 November 2021: Abiy government declares state of emergency
On Tuesday, the Ethiopian government declared a six-month state of emergency as fears grow that the rebel forces are approaching the capital city. The provisions state that the government could erect roadblocks, impose curfews and military takeovers. The state of emergency also allows arrests and detention of persons suspected of supporting terrorist groups, like the Tigray People’s Defence Forces (TPLF), which was declared a terrorist organisation earlier in the year. In addition, those who provide financial, material or moral support to terrorist groups will face prison time. While speaking to the media, Justice Minister Gedion Timothewos said, “Our country is facing a grave danger to its existence, sovereignty and unity. And we can’t dispel this danger through the usual law enforcement systems and procedures.” The minister said that those who violate the terms of the state of emergency would face up to 10 years in prison. The state of emergency was consequentially issued following fears that the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) fighters would march into the capital. Furthermore, TPLF, Oromo Liberation Army (OLA), and seven other smaller rebel groups are expected to form an alliance on 5 November 2021.
While on a working visit to Ethiopia, the US Special Envoy for the Horn of Africa, Jeffrey Feltman, said that the US would take action against the Abiy government if it did not end the conflict in Tigray. “Prolonging the war, dodging genuine negotiations to lead to de-escalation and a ceasefire, and refusing unhindered humanitarian access to avert catastrophe are actions that are taking Ethiopia [in] a dangerous direction,” he said, adding that “We can proceed down one path that inevitably leads to sanctions and other measures or we can go down another path where we can revitalise the partnership that started when prime minister [Abiy Ahmed] took office. The US wants the latter.” The US actualised its threats immediately, suspending Ethiopia from Duty-free access to the US market. The US cited “Gross violations of internationally recognised human rights” as its reasoning for suspending Ethiopia, as well as Mali and Guinea. In a statement, the US government said, “Today, President Biden announced three countries will be terminated from the AGOA trade preference program as of January 1, 2022, absent urgent action to meet statutory eligibility criteria.”
3 November 2021: All sides in the Tigray conflict committed violations and abuses – UN report says
A joint report by the UN Human Rights Commission (UNHCR) and the state formed Ethiopian Human Rights Commission (EHRC) stated that all sides of the conflict in Tigray committed violations and abuses. The report further states that those violations by rebels allied to the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF), Eritrean forces, and the Ethiopian National Defence Forces (ENDF) could amount to war crimes. Discussing the perpetrators, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michel Bachelet said, “Big numbers of violations of human rights [in the report] are linked to the Ethiopian and Eritrean Defense forces. But we have seen that since the cease-fire [in early July 2021], there have been huge allegations of abuses by the Tigrayan forces and [these] continue until today.” The abuses and violations allegedly committed between November 2020 and June 2021 include extrajudicial killings, executions, sexual violence. The joint commission interviewed at least 269 people. In response to the report, the Office of the Prime Minister said that they had “serious reservation concerning some aspects of the report,” though they “recognise and accept the report as an important document.” The government refuted two of the main allegations – claims of genocide against the Tigrayan people and use of hunger as a weapon of war – adding that the claims are “false and utterly lack of any factual basis.”
The European Union High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy announced that the EU is preparing to issue sanctions related to the Tigray war. “The EU remains ready to use all its foreign policy tools, including restrictive measures, to promote peace, adherence to international humanitarian and human rights law, and help end conflict,” Joseph Borell said.
4 November 2021: At the one-year mark, Ethiopian government says the country will not collapse
A year since the Tigray war began with Operation Law and Order, the Ethiopian government asserted the country will not collapse. While discussing the battlefront, the statement said the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) and its “puppets are being encircled by our forces.” “A rat that strays far from its hole in nearer to death,” the statement read in part.
5 November 2021: UN Security Council once again calls for ceasefire in Tigray conflict
The UN Security Council called for an immediate ceasefire in the Tigray conflict in Ethiopia. In a statement approved by all 15 members of the council, they called on all parties in Ethiopia to “put an end to hostilities and to negotiate a lasting ceasefire.” They also called on all parties to “refrain from inflammatory hate speech and incitement to violence and divisiveness.”
5 November 2021: Tigray, nine rebel groups force alliance against Abiy government
The Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) and nine rebel groups have formed a new alliance against the Abiy government. The TPLF has joined forces with Oromo Liberation Army (OLA) and seven other small rebel groups. The alliance aims to “revere the harmful effects of the Abiy Ahmed Rule on the peoples of Ethiopia and beyond.” The groups agreed that it was necessary to “collaborate and join forces towards a safe transition.”
In response to the coalition, the spokesperson of the Ethiopian government, Billen Aster Seyoum, tweeted, “The opening up of the political space three years ago provided ample opportunity for contenders to settle their differences at the ballot box in June 2021. Any outliers that reject the democratic process #Ethiopia embarked upon cannot be for democratisation.”
Diplomatic missions in Ethiopia have urged their citizens to leave the country “as soon as possible.” The US was the first diplomatic mission to urge its citizen to use commercial means to leave the country. In a statement, the US Embassy said, “incidents of civil unrest and ethnic violence are occurring without warning.” Therefore, the US warned its citizens that due to the possibility of communication blackouts and supply chain shortages, it’s advisable for US citizens to leave Ethiopia immediately. Saudi Arabia, the United Kingdom, Norway, Sweden and Denmark soon followed with notices.
The advisory comes as the Ethiopian government declared a state of emergency on 2ndNovember as fears mount that the Tigrayan rebels would march into the capital city of Addis Ababa.
7 November 2021: Pro-government, war in Tigray protest held in Addis Ababa
Tens of thousands of Ethiopians took to the streets of Addis Ababa to voice their support for the war in Tigray and the government. The government’s organised protests were directed against countries calling for the end of the violence in Tigray. Some of the place cards read, “We don’t need interference from abroad,” “fake news”, and “stop sucking our blood.”
At the protests, the Addis Ababa Mayor, Adanech Abebe, said that the enemies of Ethiopia are attempting to “terrorise our population” when they said, “Addis Ababa is surrounded.” She said that the capital city is “surrounded by its incredible people, by its vigilant, heroic children.” Addressing the US government and the possibility of pulling out Ethiopia from the Agora trade agreement, the Mayor said, “If aid and loans will strip us of our freedom, if they will lead us to sacrifice our freedom, we won’t sacrifice our freedom.”
9-16 November 2021: Mass arrests to Tigrayans, UN staff continue in Addis Ababa
As the ponders whether the rebel groups will storm the capital city, police in the capital city of Addis Ababa round up hundreds of Tigrayans. A UN report stated that at least 1 000 people had been detained without charge by the police since 10 November. Local reports also indicate that Tigrayans have also been detained in Gondar and Bahir dar in the Amhara region. An identified source told the media that Ethiopia might ask neighbouring countries to detain Tigrayans who are “spreading/providing wrong information about the conflict.”
The United Nations reported that 22 local staff and 72 truck drivers were detained during the mass arrests in Addis Ababa. Six individuals were released soon after, but 16 remain in custody, the UN spokesperson, Stephane Dujarric, told reporters in New York. He further stated that the government had not provided the UN with an explanation for the arrest. The UN issued a statement voicing their concern over the arrests of Tigrayans over the past week. The UN said that some of its staff members and 72 truck drivers have also been detained by the police in Addis Ababa, adding that the government provided no reason for their actions.
An Amnesty International report alleges that Tigray rebels “raped, robbed and brutalised women” in an attack in the Amhara region. The Secretary-General of Amnesty, Agnes Callmard, said that the testimonies from the survivors “could amount to war crimes, and potentially crimes against humanity.” According to interviews of 16 women from Nefas Meewcha, Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) fighters gang-raped them in August 2021.
Getachew Reda, the spokesperson of the TPLF, issued a statement on social media, questioning the methodology used by Amnesty International. He said that the report is based on a” disturbingly flawed methodology formulated on remote interviews.”
12 November 2021: US imposes sanctions on the Eritrea military officials
A new round of sanctions affects Eritrean military officials and other Eritrea-based individuals and entities. The sanctions aim to increase pressure on Eritrea to withdraw all its forces from the Tigray’s region. in a statement from the Treasury Department, the US has blacklisted Eritrea’s military, its ruling political party, the People’s Front for Democracy and Justice (PFDF), the party’s economic adviser and the head of the Eritrean national security office. The targeted individuals have been accused of contributing to the conflict in Tigray. The statement further accuses Eritrean forces of committing abuses in Tigray whilst dressing in Ethiopian military uniforms.” He added that although the report had “serious procedural errors that would make it easy to dismiss the contents of the report,” the TPLF would open an investigation.
The US Embassy in Ethiopia has issued daily security advisories to its citizens, urging non-critical employees to leave the country using commercially available options. The advisory stated that the embassy might not be able to help with evacuations if those commercially available options become unavailable. The embassy further warns its citizens of the fluidity of the conflict in Ethiopia, urging its citizens to exercise extreme caution. The embassy provided contact information if US citizens have difficulty securing flights or need assistance in returning to the US.
15 November 2021: UN to provide US$ 40 million for Tigray conflict
The UN announced it would provide US$ 40 million in emergency funding for the Tigray conflict and drought-affected areas in Southern Ethiopia. The UN humanitarian chief, Martin Griffith, said that US$ 25 million will be injected into the UN Central Emergency Response Fund while the other US$ 15 million will be for the Ethiopia Humanitarian Fund. Griffith noted that millions of people in Northern Ethiopia are facing an ever-deepening humanitarian crisis. Previously, the UN humanitarian agency said that Ethiopia faces a US 1.3 billion funding gap, including US$ 350 million for the response to the Tigray region.
16 November 2021: Nearly 200 children die of starvation in hospitals in Tigray
Reports from Tigray say that nearly 200 children have died of starvation in several hospitals in the Tigray region. Based on data from 14 hospitals across the Tigray region, malnutrition continues to affect Tigrayans. According to Dr Hagos Godefay, who headed the Health Bureau in Tigray’s pre-war government, his research has registered more than 186 deaths due to severe acute malnutrition in children younger than the age of five. He further says that 29% of children in the region are acutely malnourished while 7.1 percent face severe acute malnutrition, a nine and 5.8 percent jump from pre-war figures, respectively.
17 November 2021: Ethiopian journalist won Rocky Peck Prize for coverage of the Tigray conflict
Ethiopia’s Solan Kolli won the prestigious Rocky Reck prize award for his coverage of the ongoing Tigray conflict. The freelancer journalist won for his piece commissioned by the Agence France-Presse (AFP) covering the alleged massacres of civilians. One of the judges said that the Tigray conflict is “under-reported” and that Kolli’s work “gave context and addressed the political realities on the ground.” Kolli was among the first to provide images and interview evidence from survivors of the Mai-Kadra massacre, including photos of mass graves where hundreds of civilians were buried.
Following winning the award, Kolli said, “This award means a lot to me, because it is a testament that my efforts have succeeded in shining a light in the middle of information blackouts and making the voice of Ethiopia war victims heard across borders, knocking on many doors and touching many hearts,”
17 November 2021: US aviation body issues warning for planes flying into Addis Ababa
The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) issued an alert for planes travelling to Addis Ababa. The alert stated that the planes may be “directly or indirectly exposed to the ground weapons fire and/or surface to air fire.” “The FAA urged pilots and operators that hold U.S. airworthiness certificates to use caution while flying in Ethiopian airspace below 29,000 feet due to ongoing clashes between opposition groups and military forces,” the FAA told The Hill in a statement.
17 November 2021: Ethiopia releases six UN staff members, 70 drivers
The Ethiopian government released six United Nations staff employees and more than 70 drivers detained beginning 3rd November. The truck drivers were arrested while transporting lifesaving supplies and foodstuffs to Tigray. Additionally, local UN staff were detained in Addis Ababa on 10 November. The spokesperson of the UN, Stephane Dujarric, told the media that five UN staff members and one dependent remain in custody. Earlier in the week, the government released 34 truck drivers, a move that the UN welcomed.
The government began detaining people, including the UN staff, a day after the Abiy administration declared a state of emergency that will be in effect for six months. The individuals were detained for their “role in terror.” However, spokesperson Dujarric said that the government is yet to provide a cause to the institution for their incarceration.
18 November 201: AU and US Envoys to the Horn of Africa meets with TPLF, Ethiopian government
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19 November 2021: Food and blood drive for Ethiopian troops organised in Ethiopia’s capital
A group of women in Ethiopia’s capital city of Addis Ababa organised a food and blood drive to support the Ethiopian forces fighting in Tigray region. According to one of the organisers, Mekdim Mekuria, “The event was organised to show women’s support for our Defense forces by providing them food items.” Hundred so f women showed up to the initiative to support their forces. An attendee explained her reasons for coming, adding that she is “…donating blood to the injured soldiers to that the blood so that we can give our blood to those who spilled their blood in combat.”
Medim Mekuria added that the event also acted as a registration for women who were willing to go to the frontlines. She said that some women were “willing to go as far as the battlefield to help guard the [Ethiopian] National Defence Forces (ENDF).”
In a press conference in Nairobi, Kenya, the US Secretary of State and Kenyan Cabinet Secretary (CS) expressed their deep concern over the developments in the Ethiopian conflict. Secretary Blinken welcomed Kenya’s President Uhuru Kenyatta’s engagement with the Abiy Administration to resolve the Tigray conflict. While discussing the conflict, he stressed the necessity for a dialogue between the government and the Tigray forces to reach a resolution. Secretary Blinken said that the conflict in Ethiopia is a threat to peace and security in the Horn of Africa.
The federal media authority in Ethiopia threatened to revoke the licence of four international media houses over their reporting on the Tigray conflict. The four media houses given the warning are Associated Press (AP), Reuters, CNN and British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC). The media authority claimed that the media houses were intentionally disseminating news that “sowed seeds of animosity among people” and “compromised the sovereignty of the country.” They further said that the media houses are publishing stories that “assist the TPLF’s objectives.”
22 November 2021: PM Abiy goes to the frontlines
In a surprise move, Prime Minister Abiy said he was going to the frontlines to lead the military against the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF). In a tweet, PM Abiy said, “Starting tomorrow, I will mobilise to the front to lead the defence forces.” The decision to go to the frontlines was aided by fear that the rebel forces were marching towards the capital city of Addis Ababa. The TPLF and allied forces took control of Shewa Robit, just 220 KM northeast of the capital.
The UN Secretary-General and the US have called for calm and the immediate end of fighting in Ethiopia. UNSG Guterres called for a ceasefire while the US State Department asserted that “there is no military solution to the conflict in Ethiopia.” The US further stated that all parties should “refrain from inflammatory and bellicose rhetoric, to use restraint, respect human rights, allow humanitarian access, and protect civilians.” The call responds to PM Abiy’s decision to join the troops on the frontlines to lead the military in the fight against the Tigrayan rebels.
26 November 2021: PM Abiy promises victory in a frontline video
While in the frontline, Prime Minister Abiy released a video promising a total victory for the Ethiopian military over the Tigrayan rebels. “We won’t give in until we bury the enemy,” Abiy said in a recorded statement, adding that the army’s morale was high. “What we want to see is an Ethiopia that stands on our sacrifices – either to be Ethiopian or to be Ethiopia,” he said. “The enemy doesn’t have the standing to compete with us, we will win,” he added. The morale-boosting video has inspired several well-known retired athletes to join the Ethiopian troops in the frontline. Ethiopian Olympic gold medalist and national hero Haile Gebrselassie, 48, announced he is going to the frontlines. He said, “What would you do when the existence of a country is at stake? You just put down everything. Alas, nothing will bind you. I am sorry!”
Following many reports from international organisations and UN agencies, the Ethiopian government has bowed to pressure to create a taskforce to investigate and address human rights violations. The Ethiopian Federal Ministry of Justice (MoJ) said that the taskforce, which is divided into various committees, will use the “victim-centred approach” to investigate the allegations against the Ethiopian military Tigray forces and other militias. The committee will investigate violations against refugees and internally displaced persons (IDPs), and sexual violence and gender-based violence. The taskforce will also look into resource mobilisation to rebuild damaged infrastructure and livelihoods. The MoJ said they would work with local and international partners for technical assistance.
30 November 2021: PM Abiy urges rebels to surrender
Ethiopia’s Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed called on the Tigray rebels to surrender, claiming the military was nearing victory. In his speech on state media, the PM said that the Tigrayans have “no clear vision or plan.” He added that “The enemy has been defeated. We scored an unthinkable victory with the eastern command in one day…now, in the west, we will repeat this victory.” This is not the first time that the Abiy administration has claimed victory or nearing victory over the thirteen-month war. Though the case, the military has been making advances in the frontlines, taking over Debre Sina town, 200km from Addis Ababa and Chifra town in the Afar region.
1 December 2021: Ethiopia lodges complaint to Twitter about pro-rebel bias
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city of Addis Ababa. Minister Wang Yi said that China’s stance on the Tigray conflict was that Ethiopia can deal with its internal issues without international pressure. Following a meeting with Ethiopia’s Foreign Affairs Minister Demeke Mekonen, the Chinese Embassy in Ethiopia released a statement saying “closely following the situation in Ethiopia and opposes attempts by external forces to impose their political interest in the domestic affairs of Ethiopia.” China urged the Tigray rebels to “accept the peace overtures extended by the Ethiopian government.”
Foreign missions have called on their citizens to leave Ethiopia as the tensions continue to rise. The US Embassy once again advised its citizens in Addis Ababa to leave the country as soon as possible. The Embassy said, “The security situation in Ethiopia continues to deteriorate. The Embassy urges US citizens in Ethiopia to depart now using commercially available options. “If you have difficulty securing a flight or need assistance, return to the United States embassy for guidance. The Embassy can also provide a repatriation loan for US citizens who cannot afford at this time to purchase a commercial ticket to the United States.”
9 December 2021: WFP suspends food distribution in two towns in Amhara region
The World Food Programme (WFP) suspended its food distribution in two towns in the Amhara region over the looting of supplies. The two towns affected are Kombolcha and Dessie towns. The UNSG spokesperson, Stephane Dujarric, addressed the situation in Amhara, saying that large quantities of humanitarian food supplies were stolen and looted from the area. “The small-scale theft of food escalated into mass looting of warehouses across Kombolcha in recent days, reportedly by elements of the Tigrayan forces and some members of the local population,” he said. In addition, Dujarric said that three WFP trucks were commandeered by military personnel in the Amhara region.
16 December 2021: Human rights organisations- “New wave of atrocities in Western Tigray”
In Western Tigray, Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch claim that more atrocities are being committed. According to their findings, Amhara security forces have been conducting mass detentions, killings and forced expulsions of ethnic Tigrayans. The two human rights organisations conducted a total of 31 phone interviews, 25 of whom were witnesses and survivors of those allegations. The organisations said that Fanos, one of the Amhara allied militias, has systematically rounded up Tigrayan in Adebai, Humera, and Rawyan.
17 December 2021: UN Human Rights Council will investigate crimes in Tigray conflict
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20 December 2021: Tigrayan forces withdraw from Amhara and Afar regions
The Tigray forces announced they had withdrawn from all positions in the neighbouring regions of Amhara and Afar. “I have ordered those units of the Tigray Army that are outside the borders of Tigray to withdraw to the borders of Tigray within immediate effect,” Debretsion Gebremichael said in a letter to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres. In the letter, the de facto leader of the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) further stated, “We are not interested in taking over the province of Afar. We are not interested in squeezing a hard bargain in Addis Ababa,” he continued, adding: “We are only interested in ensuring that the siege that was ruthlessly imposed on our people is broken.” He proposed an immediate ceasefire and called for negotiation with the government. They also called for a no-fly zone over Tigray to prevent airstrikes by the Ethiopian government.
In July, the Tigrayan forces began taking over towns and villages in Afar and Amhara regions. Before retreating, the TPLF and the Ethiopian military and its allied militias were engaged in fierce battles in Amhara and Afar regions. State media claimed to have killed six prominent TPLF military generals, whose names are still not disclosed, in the Kasagita front in the Afar region. The state media also claimed to have retaken control of Shewarobit, Debre Sina, Ataye, Kemissie, Kombolcham Batie, Dessie, Haik, Wuchale, Wurgehsa, Mersa, Woldia and Kobo towns.
22 December 2021: The war in Ethiopia could create humanitarian crisis in Sudan, aid workers say
Aid workers at the Basunda camps in Gadarif state in Eastern Sudan say the increased number of refugees streaming into the country could create a humanitarian crisis. The large influx of refugees poses major challenges to the strained Sudanese authorities, who are also going through internal issues stemming from a coup. They called for more needed food assistance and healthcare in the camps. Mustafa Anwar, a camp official in Gedaref state, lamented that international agencies have not been able to meet the growing demands to provide the needed services due to the soaring refugee numbers. Muhammad Yaqoub, director of Hamdayet reception centre in Kassala, said that two main camps, Kassala and Gadarif, are hosting more refugees than they should.
23 December 2021: UN says, “22 million Ethiopians will require humanitarian aid in 2022
A report by the UN estimates that at least 22 million Ethiopians will require humanitarian assistance in 2022. The UN Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) asserted that humanitarian needs remain very high in several parts of Ethiopia. The UN agency called for more action to “reverse deepening drought impacts in southern and eastern Ethiopia.”
24 December 2021: UN SG welcomes de-escalation in Tigray region
The UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres welcomed the recent developments in Tigray, where both the Ethiopian government and the Tigray forces de-escalated. In a statement, the UN SG said, “The secretary-general urges the parties to grasp this opportunity, cease hostilities in the year-long conflict, take all steps to ensure the provision of much-needed humanitarian assistance, the withdrawal of foreign fighters, and address political differences through a credible and inclusive national dialogue.”
On Thursday, the Ethiopian government issued separate statements stating they would pause all operations and maintain their current position. Though the forces will maintain their position, the Ethiopian military said that the decision could be overturned if “territorial sovereignty” was threatened. To elaborate on the government decision, the government communication service head Kegesse Tulu told the media that the “first phase operation to expel the terrorist group that the area it invaded has ended with victory.”
6-11 January 2022: Ethiopian military conducts airstrikes in Tigray, killing dozens
The Ethiopian military commenced airstrikes in the Tigray region following a brief truce between the two sides, killing dozens of civilians. On 6 January, another airstrike hit an Eritrean refugee camp, Mai Aini, killing three people, including two children. On 7 January, the military targeted an internally displaced person, Debebit camp, killing 56 and injuring 30 others. The death toll increased after three of the wounded succumbed to their injuries. On 10 January, 17 more civilians were killed and 21 injured after an airstrike hit a flour mill, and the next day, a government airstrike at the state-owned Technical Vocational Education and Training Institute killed three people.
7 January 2022: Ethiopian government announces amnesty for jailed opposition politicians
The Ethiopian government said that they have offered amnesty to political prisoners in a bid to jumpstart the “national dialogue.” The government unexpectedly released political prisoners, including high ranking TPLF officials and Oromo leaders like Eskinder Nega, Bekele Garba, Jabwar Mohammed. In a statement, the government said that it’s important to begin the process as a way to pave the way for a lasting solution. Finally, the government said, “the key to lasting unity is dialogue. Ethiopia will make any sacrifices to this end.”
9 January 2022: Aid agencies suspend work in Tigray after airstrikes
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10 January 2022: PM Abiy and US President Biden speak,
Ethiopia’s Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed and US President Joe Biden talked on the phone about the ongoing Tigray conflict. President Biden expressed his concern over the hostility in the country, including the recent airstrikes that have killed dozens of civilians. The US President also stressed the importance of accelerating national dialogue and improving humanitarian access in Ethiopia.
13 January 2022: UN says that at least 108 civilians killed in January in Tigray airstrikes
The UN said that 108 civilians had been killed over the past two weeks of the new year in Tigray due to airstrikes. The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) said that they are “alarmed by the multiple, deeply disturbing reports” about the civilian casualties. So far, 108 civilians have reportedly been killed and 75 others injured since 2022 began due to airstrikes. The OHCHR urged the Ethiopian government to ensure the protection of civilians, saying disproportionate attacks hitting non-military targets could amount to war crimes.
13 January 2022: Nobel committee says Nobel laureate Abiy “must end Tigray conflict.”
After over a year of silence, the Nobel Peace Prize committee called on Prime Minister Abiy to bring an end to the Tigray conflict. In a rare critique, the committee said that PM Abiy “bore a special responsibility for bringing to an end the fighting.” Focusing on the dire humanitarian situation, the committee said that “it was unacceptable that humanitarian aid is not getting through in a sufficient manner.” The Committee had previously expressed their concern over the conflict. In response to the Nobel Prize Committee, the Office of the Prime Minister said, PM Abiy “has indeed taken up this special responsibility of ending the conflict waged on the State by TLF and has been engaged in putting on end not only to the past year’s conflict but the destabilising activities of the TPLF.” PM Abiy won a Nobel Peace Prize in 2019 after creating peace with Eritrea, ending a bitter dispute between the two countries.
19 January 2022: African Union Envoy to the Horn briefs UN Secretary-General on Tigray conflict
The African Union Envoy to the Horn of Africa and UN Secretary-General held a phone call discussing the ongoing efforts to solve the Tigray conflict. The AU Envoy, Olusegun Obasanjo, the former Nigerian President, told UNSG Guterres about his recent meeting with the representatives of the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF). In a statement, Mr Guterres said that Mr Obasanjo expressed optimism that the new round of talks provided an opportunity for a political and diplomatic resolution of the conflict. From his side, Mr Gutteres said that the military operations “remain a challenge to the peace process and sour the confidence-building measures that we hope are being taken by all parties in the conflict.” He reiterated that the UN stands ready to support an all-inclusive and nationally owned dialogue.
25 January 2022: Ethiopian Cabinet approves lifting of state of emergency
Prime Minister Abiy’s Cabinet has approved lifting of the state of emergency, which was imposed every six months since the war started in November 2020. The Cabinet members said that the measures could be lifted since the security conditions in the country have changed for the better. In a statement from the Office of the Prime Minister, it said, “Now we have reached a stage where threats can be neutralised through regular law enforcement mechanisms.”
25 January 2022: Tigray rebels commence military operations in Afar region
The Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) announced possible military operations in Afar region following weeks of relative calm during the festive season. The TPLF said they are taking “robust actions” in Afar in response to alleged pro-government forces provocation. On Twitter, they said, “We have been forced to take strong action to neutralise the threat.” They added that they “do not plan to remain in Afar for long and do not want the conflict to deteriorate further.”. There have been reports of renewed fighting in Afar region. The authorities in Afar commented on the fighting. They said that the TPLF soldiers seized some border towns, and the fighting was ongoing. In a statement, the authorities said, “In an attempt to compensate for their previous defeat in Afar, the TPLF forces have moved deeper into Afar and are intensifying fighting in Kilbatti Rasu province.” The US State Department has called on the Tigray rebels to reconsider their military offensives in Afar region.
26 January 2022: First medical aid consignment arrives in Tigray region since September
Ethiopia’s Tigray region received the first medical consignment since September 2020. The life-saving relief is timely as the hospitals have been complaining about running out of medications and other supplies. The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) delivered medical relief in Mekelle, Tigray’s capital. The Africa regional director, Patrick Youssef, said that the organisation is arranging for more lights to Mekelle to bring more aid to the city.
The World Food Programme and UNICEF say more is needed to impede the worsening humanitarian conditions in Ethiopia. The WPF says that 40% of people in the Tigray region are suffering from an “extreme lack of food.” The organisation further states that the drought conditions in Amhara and Afar regions are very concerning. Due to the ongoing conflict in the region, aid organisations have been able to deliver relief to the area. WFP said 83% of Tigrayans were food deprived, with many relying on one meal a day.
UNICEF has stated that the number of people in need of humanitarian assistance has increased to 6.8 million. They added that the Afar, Oromia, Southern Nations, Nationalities, and Peoples’ (SNNPR) and the Somali regions had not received rain for the last three rainy seasons leading to severe drought. The drought conditions are also leading to the loss of livelihoods and livestock. In Oromia and Somali, at least 225 000 children are malnourished, and over 100 000 pregnant and breastfeeding women need urgent nutrition support.
28 January 2022: Italy suspends military cooperation with Ethiopia
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29 January 2022: Ethiopian PM travels to UAE as conflict continues in northern Ethiopia
The Ethiopian Prime Minister travelled to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to meet with the crown prince, Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan. Following a guard of honour guard ceremony, the two leaders discussed strengthening bilateral cooperation. Most analysts in the region, the trip to UAE is intended to provide the Ethiopian government with a new source of funding and weapons as the war wages on in Tigray region. So far, Ethiopia has purchased aerial drones from China, Turkey and the UAE.
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During the African Union Summit, the Kenyan president called for the end of the Tigray conflict and an embrace of genuine reconciliation. “The promise of a peaceful, secure, and stable Ethiopia will only be realised by the ability of all parties in Ethiopia to surmount challenges in ways that are both sustainable and acceptable to all the people of Ethiopia,” President Kenyatta said in a statement.
8 February 2022: Ethiopian relics appear on eBay, believed to be looted from Tigray
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9 February 2022: Fighting in Afar region displaces 300,000 people
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11 February 2022: WHO resume medical aid deliveries to Tigray
After stopping all aid transports to Tigray weeks ago, the World Health Organisation (WHO) began airlifting essential medical deliveries to Tigray. The WHO stated that they had airlifted the first round of 10 metric tons of medical supplies, with another 23.5 metric tons expected to be airlifted in the next few weeks. The aid supplies are much needed in Tigray as “systematic blockade” hindered the ability of citizens to get access to life saving medication for diabetes dialysis services, chemotherapy drugs and other critical medication.
In January, aid to Tigray had been suspended after the Ethiopian government restarted their airstrike campaigns throughout Tigray.
15 February 2022: Ethiopia’s parliament lifts state of emergency early
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18 February 2022: Five Eritrean refugees killed in Afar region Ethiopia
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22 February 2022: PM Abiy will not rule out the possibility of negotiation with TPLF
While speaking to the parliament, Prime Minister Abiy noted that his administration has not completely ruled out the possibility of negotiating with the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF). “There has been no negotiation yet. This does not rule out the possibility of discussions. Negotiation is a method of identifying problem-solving options. We have been betrayed while making efforts to rebuild, acknowledging that the region is a part of our country,” Abiy said.
6 April 2022: Ethnic cleansing documented in Western Tigray
Joint investigation by Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch (HRW) found that Tigrayans are being targeted in a campaign of ethnic cleansing. Officials and security forces from neighbouring Amhara are being accused of committing crimes against humanity in western Tigray, to which these allegations are being dismissed by Amhara’s regional government.
PM Abiy Ahmed states the federal government created a committee to negotiate with the rebellious forces of Tigray. Ahmed states, “Regarding the peace … a committee has been established and it will study how we will conduct talks”. In response, Debretsion Gebremichael, chairman of the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF), states that his group is willing to participate in a “credible, impartial and principled” peace process and would send a delegation.
2 August 2022: US and EU Officials urge talks to settle Tigray conflict
The European Union and the US have called for political discourse between the Ethiopian government and Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) to settle the Tigray conflict and achieve durable peace. Furthermore, US and EU officials called on Ethiopian authorities to restore services in the Tigray region.
19 August 2022: Ethiopian Government accuses Tigray Rebels of refusing to talk peace
The Ethiopian government accuses Tigrayan rebels of lacking interest in peace talks to end the 21-month armed conflict in Tigray. Abiy’s spokeswoman Billene Seyoum states the government continues to call for peaceful resolution, “despite there being not a shred of interest for peace by TPLF… If TPLF genuinely cares for the wellbeing of Ethiopians in the Tigray region they should… sit for talks instead of looking for excuses to avoid peace”. TPLF insists that before any political discourse can begin, basic services must be restored.
24 August 2022: Fighting erupts along Tigray border
Fighting between Ethiopia’s central government forces and Ethiopia’s rebellious northern region of Tigray have erupted around the town of Kobo, ending a months-long cease-fire. This conflict is a major blow to hopes of peace talks between PM Abiy Ahmed’s central government and Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) to settle the Tigray conflict and achieve durable peace.
26 August 2022: Several children killed in airstrike on kindergarten Paradise in Mekellé, Tigray
An aerial bombing of the Paradise kindergarten in Mekelle, the capital of Tigray, occurred at noon on August 26th killing at least four people, including two children. UNICEF executive director Catherine Russell states, “The strike hit a kindergarten, killing several children, and injuring others. UNICEF calls on all parties to agree to an immediate cessation of hostilities”. The federal government denies allegations stating that their air force only targeted military sites, accusing the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) forces of staging civilian deaths.
World Health Organization (WHO) boss, Dr Tedros Ghebreyesus, admits that he is unable to send money to his “starving” relatives in Ethiopia’s Tigray region. Dr. Ghebreyesus states, “I have many relatives there. I want to send them money. I cannot send them money… I don’t even know who is dead or who is alive”.
1 September 2022: War in Ethiopia resumes at full scale
The war in Ethiopia between Abiy Ahmed’s federal government and Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) has resumed conflict at full scale, making hopes for peace talk negotiations uncertain. Both sides agree that the first shots were fired on the southern borders of Tigray that adjoin the state of Amhara and town of Kobo, in the early morning of August 24th. Each side blames each other for firing these first shots.
2 September 2022: US Condemns Latest Round of Tigray Conflict
The White House has condemned the resumption of conflict that occured on the Southern borders of Tigray. White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre stated, “We condemn Eritrea’s reentry into the conflict, the continuing TPLF offensive outside of Tigray and the Ethiopian government’s airstrikes”. She further urges for both parties to cease hostilities stating, “There is no military solution to the conflict”. Both parties in the conflict, the Ethiopian federal government and Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) continue to blame each other for the recent outbreak of violence.
20 September 2022: Tigrayan forces accuse Eritrea of launching offensive
US special envoy for the Horn of Africa, Ambassador Mike Hammer, condemns the crossing of Eritrean troops into Ethiopia’s Tigray region amid renewed fighting. Forces in Ethiopia’s Tigray region claim that Eritrea launched a full-scale offensive with heavy fighting taking place in several areas along the border in what appears to be an escalation of last month’s renewal of fighting. Getachew Reda, spokesman for the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF), states that the Eritreans are fighting alongside Abiy Ahmed’s Ethiopian federal forces, including commando units, as well as allied militias.
22 September 2022: International humanitarian access into Tigray blocked
The UN Human Rights Council states that, “There were reasonable grounds to believe that the Federal Government and its allies looted and destroyed goods indispensable for the survival of the civilian population in Tigray, killing livestock, destroying food stores, and razing crops while also implementing severe restrictions on humanitarian access to Tigray.” As of today international humanitarian access into Tigray continues to be blocked, along with the denial and obstruction of access to basic services, food, healthcare and aid relief.
Months of discreet American diplomacy have failed to stop the fighting in northern Ethiopia. Now, the civil war is plunging into its most alarming phase yet. a small United States military aircraft carrying senior American diplomats crossed the front line on a secret mission to halt the bloodshed. In a measure of the distrust between the two sides, Mike Hammer, the American envoy to the region, flew aboard the U.S. Air Force plane as an assurance that it would not be shot down. A diplomatic drive to end the war has also been hidden.
10 October 2022: Tigray rebels tortured and killed civilians in renewed fighting, survivors claim
Tigrayan rebel forces have killed dozens of civilians during their latest occupation of a town in the Amhara region, survivors claim, after fighting resumed last month in the northern area of Ethiopia. The alleged killings took place in the town of Kobo, located along the highway to the capital, Addis Ababa. Between 13-15 September, Tigray People’s Liberation Front
(TPLF) fighters shot dead unarmed civilians they suspected of supporting federal forces and local militias, survivors have told the Guardian.
10 October 2022: Ethiopia’s Tigray forces say Eritreans widen war offensive
Ethiopia’s Tigray rebels say Eritrea has extended its offensive into their region, as diplomats scramble to convene peace talks to resolve the almost two-year-long conflict. In a statement Monday, the Tigray forces said that Eritrea’s military has launched an “extensive offensive” in the direction of Rama, Zalambessa and Tserona towns in northeastern Tigray. They called on Tigray’s population to “further intensify their campaign of self-defense.”
10 October 2022: Can AU deliver peace to the Ethiopia-Tigray conflict?
The African Union (AU) sponsored peace talks between the Ethiopian government and the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) which are in control of the northern Tigray region have been called off in silence.
This has put the African Union’s credibility and impartiality under question. Both Ethiopia’s government and forces from the country’s Tigray region on Wednesday announced that they have accepted the AU’s invitation for talks in South Africa. The postponement of the much-awaited peace talks is raising lots of questions about AU’s overall capacity and genuineness in the peace process. AU has always been criticized for its poor governance and inability to promote credible peace and security.
13 October 2022: Ethiopia’s civil war: Inside Tigray’s capital Mekelle
As the war in Ethiopia’s Tigray region escalates once more, civilians are increasingly becoming involved in the fighting. Tigray rebel commanders have embarked on a new recruitment campaign, having previously been accused of forcing people to join the war effort. Similar accusations have been levelled against Eritrea, which has entered the war on the side of Ethiopia’s government. This week the Tigray army called on every able-bodied person to join the fight – and as war-weary as people are after 23 months of violence, they are taking up the call. “It is considered taboo not to join the military,” says a resident, whose name the BBC is withholding for safety reasons. People from all walks of life, including women and young people, are answering the call to join the army of the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF).
14 October 2022: ‘Where is humanity?’ ask the helpless doctors of Ethiopia’s embattled Tigray region
The conflict in Tigray has decimated the health system. With the country’s northern Tigray region under blockade and cut off from most communications. Dr. Fasika Amdeslasie, a surgeon at Tigray’s Ayder Comprehensive Specialized Hospital, says, “Our patients are not getting basic medicines like antibiotics, IV fluids, [and] oxygen.” Without these
kinds of supplies, he’s watched patients die. “Seeing the hopelessness in their eyes,” he says, “and being the one to tell them that you cannot help them, that they are going to die soon, as a firsthand witness as a
physician is very heartbreaking.” “You cannot do anything for them and you tell them to pray,” adds Fasika, who was dean of Mekele University’s medical school before the war. (Per the Ethiopian custom, we are using first names for subsequent references.)
16 October 2022: Ethiopia’s Tigray conflict: Civilian bloodbath warning as offensive escalates
Diplomats are warning of a civilian bloodbath in Ethiopia’s northern region of Tigray if rebels are pushed out of towns by Ethiopian and Eritrean troops. Tigray residents say food and medical supplies are running out as a massive offensive on the region intensifies. Cities are being carpet bombed, says Tedros Ghebreyesus, the World Health Organization chief, who is from Tigray. Civilians are being killed and those
wounded cannot be saved because of a siege, he says.
A surprise deal has been reached in the Ethiopian civil war with both sides agreeing to halt their two-year conflict which led to thousands of deaths and warnings of a famine. The agreement between the Ethiopian government and Tigrayan forces should allow aid deliveries to resume. Although it’s a major breakthrough, it’ll be received with some degree of caution. This is not the first ceasefire in the conflict – a previous one was breached in August, just months after both sides committed to it. This time though, the agreements have gone further. The Ethiopian government officials and representatives of the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) have signed up to a disarmament plan and the restoration of crucial services, including aid supplies.
Now that two of the warring parties in Ethiopia have signed a landmark peace deal, the world is watching to see if it will truly mean the end of one of the world’s deadliest conflicts. At a ceremony in South Africa, mediators for Ethiopia’s federal government and rebels from the country’s
northern Tigray region shook hands and posed for photographs, before sitting down to sign a permanent cessation of hostilities. Eritrean troops in Tigray are heavily involved in the fighting but Eritrea was not represented at the talks and is not party to the deal.
Top military commanders from Ethiopia and its embattled Tigray region have agreed to allow unhindered humanitarian access to the region and
form a joint disarmament committee following last week’s truce. The commanders, who since Monday have been meeting in the Kenyan capital of Nairobi, signed an agreement Saturday that they said calls for
disengagement from all forms of military activities. Both parties have agreed to protect civilians and facilitate the delivery of humanitarian aid to the region of more than 5 million people, according to a copy of the agreement seen by The Associated Press. The agreement states that disarmament will be “done concurrently with the withdrawal of foreign and non-(Ethiopian military) forces” from Tigray.
15 November 2022: Ethiopia PM Abiy vows ‘honest’ implementation of Tigray truce
Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed vowed on Tuesday “to implement honestly” a ceasefire agreement between his government and forces in Tigray, which he said was necessary to ensure peace proved sustainable. The truce signed on November 2 agreed to end two years of war that has devastated the Tigray region Abiy’s government and representatives from Tigray on Saturday signed a further deal for implementing the ceasefire.
“We have moved one step forward. We have discussed, agreed and signed. The next thing expected from us will be to implement honestly what we have promised to make the peace sustainable,” Abiy told Ethiopia’s national parliament after hearing questions from lawmakers.
15 November 2022: Is aid flowing again into Tigray?
The Ethiopian government says aid is flowing into Tigray, where millions of people are in urgent need of assistance. Earlier this month, the government and rebels in the Tigray region agreed to a ceasefire as a first step to ending the two-year conflict. Redwan Hussein, national security adviser to Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, said on 11 November that aid was “flowing like [at] no other time”. He said this included 35 trucks of food and three carrying medicine to the town of Shire in Tigray province.
The Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) says the government’s assertion that aid is coming in is not true. Getachew Reda of the TPLF told the BBC that as of 13 November, no aid had reached the Tigray region. The International Committee of the Red Cross says a convoy of two trucks carrying medical aid arrived in Mekelle, Tigray’s regional capital, on Tuesday and more aid is expected in the coming days. More than five million people were facing severe hunger in Tigray at that time, according to the World Food Programme.
26 November 2022: Kidnappings, looting cited in Ethiopia’s Tigray after truce
Allies of Ethiopia’s federal military are looting property and carrying out mass detentions in Tigray, according to eyewitnesses and aid workers. The accounts raise fresh concern about alleged atrocities more than three weeks after the warring parties signed a truce that diplomats and others hoped would bring an end to suffering in the embattled region that’s home to more than 5 million people. Tigray is still largely cut off from the rest of Ethiopia, although aid deliveries into the region resumed after the Nov. 2 cease-fire deal signed in South Africa. Eritrean troops and forces from the neighboring Ethiopian region of Amhara — who have been fighting on the side of Ethiopia’s federal military in the Tigray conflict — have looted businesses, private properties, vehicles, and health clinics in Shire, a northwestern town that was captured from Tigray forces last month.
1 December 2022: Ethiopian government states disarmament talks with have begun with Tigray forces
Inside the Tigray region a joint committee of the Ethiopian government and Tigray forces have assembled to outline disarmament plans as part of the peace deal signed in November regarding the two-year conflict. The peace agreement states that Ethiopian security forces will take full control of “all federal facilities, installations and major infrastructure such as airports and highways within the Tigray region” and Tigray forces will be disarmed within 20 days of the November 2nd signing. Despite this, Tigray officials state that disarmament procedures may not begin until Ethiopia’s government has removed fighters who have come from Eritrea and the neighboring Amhara region.
2 December 2022: Over half of Tigrayan forces have withdrawn from frontlines following ceasefire
Over half of Tigrayan forces have withdrawn from frontlines a month after a ceasefire agreement aimed at ending the two-year conflict in Ethiopia’s northern Tigray region. Tadesse Wereda, commander-in-chief of the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF), states, “We have accomplished 65% disengagement of our army… Our army left the front lines and moved to the place prepared for them to camp. Our forces withdrew on vehicles and on foot”. Tadesse also states that TPLF was still maintaining fighters in some locations where there is a presence of anti-peace forces, but have reduced the numbers of forces in those places.
14 December 2022: Despite November peace deal, Ethiopia sees growing conflict in Oromia
Despite Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed attending the U.S. Africa summit this week to promote the November peace agreement between his government and authorities from the Tigray region, the larger region of Oromia appears increasingly unstable. In Ethiopia, both the Oromo and Amhara ethnic groups, allege killings and blame the other. The death toll in the violence in Oromia is unknown due to cut telecommunications and residents fearing retaliation if they speak out. Ethiopian federal government officials declined to comment on the killings in Oromia. The prime minister last week only stated that some “enemies with extreme views” were trying to destabilize the country, without going into detail.
Following the recent peace agreement, The UNFPA (United Nations Population Fund) and United Nations sexual and reproductive health agency, have resumed the distribution of humanitarian aid in Tigray. Approximately 70 tonnes of reproductive health equipment and medicines arrived in Mekelle on December 8th, making it the first consignment since August 2022. Over 9 million people are in acute need of humanitarian assistance in the Afar, Amhara and Tigray regions. Women and girls particularly have taken the brunt of the damages, creating a pressing need to restore access to essential life-saving services and supplies for the women and girls of northern Ethiopia.
28 December 2022: Ethiopia’s Tigray conflict: Flights resume between Addis Ababa and Mekelle
With the recent peace accord signing between the government and Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF), flights have opened up between Addis Ababa and Mekelle. The resumption of passenger flights has been met with emotional reactions. The city, which has a population of around 500,000, was largely cut off from the rest of the world during a brutal two-year war that claimed the lives of tens of thousands of people, and displaced millions of others.
4 January 2023: Ethiopia sets out on long road to peace after two years of war
On Nov. 2, Ethiopia’s federal government and the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF), a guerrilla force-turned political party that dominates the region, agreed to stop fighting following African Union-mediated talks. The truce has enabled international aid deliveries to resume to parts of Tigray. But the prospects for peace remain uncertain. Although Eritrea, a sworn enemy of the TPLF that has fought on the side of Abiy’s government, began withdrawing some of its forces from two major Tigray towns last week, it is not yet clear whether its troops will pull out of Tigray altogether. Until they do, diplomats and analysts worry Tigray forces will refuse to disarm, risking a resumption of hostilities.
11 January 2023: Ethiopia’s Tigray conflict: TPLF forces hand over weapons in peace move
Tigrayan forces in northern Ethiopia have started handing over heavy weapons in line with a peace deal to end a brutal civil war. The African Union (AU) said it was “a step in the right direction” to end the two-year-long conflict. TPLF spokesman Getachew Reda said he hoped that the handover of weapons would “go a long way in expediting the full implementation of the agreement”. Armoured tanks, rockets and mortars were among the weapons transferred to the federal army on Tuesday, the Ethiopian military’s Lt-Col Aleme Tadele was quoted by local media as saying. A team of AU monitors confirmed that weapons had been given up, suggesting that the peace deal is sticking, Basic services, like electricity and banking, are slowly resuming in Tigray after being cut off during the conflict.
12 January 2023: France, Germany urge Ethiopia on accountability after war
The foreign ministers of France and Germany have used a visit to Ethiopia to call for accountability for widespread abuses committed during the Tigray conflict as a condition for the European Union to normalize relations with the country. Speaking in the capital, Addis Ababa, German foreign minister Annalena Baerbock highlighted crimes including “systematic sexualized violence” committed during the two-year conflict in which hundreds of thousands of people are thought to have died. “I would like to say, as a female foreign minister, no, it is not normal that rapes are part of wars,” Baerbock said. “Humanitarian international law is clear: Civilians and the protection of civilians is top priority in armed conflict, and rapes are crimes of war.” The EU suspended budgetary support for Ethiopia shortly after the conflict in the country’s Tigray region began in November 2020, citing abuses. The peace agreement also contains provisions for transitional justice.
13 January 2023: Ethiopia says Amhara regional forces start leaving Tigray
Ethiopia’s military says members of the Amhara region special forces have started leaving the country’s Tigray region two months after a peace agreement in the Tigray conflict. The Ethiopian National Defense Force said Thursday that the Amhara forces who fought alongside Ethiopian federal ones had left the Tigray town of Shire, a key humanitarian hub, and surrounding areas. The Amhara forces, like those from neighboring Eritrea, were not a party to the peace agreement signed in November, and the presence of both has been a major challenge to the deal’s implementation.
3 February 2023: Ethiopia’s PM meets Tigray leaders for first time since war
Ethiopia’s prime minister has met the leaders of rival Tigray forces for the first time since a devastating two-year conflict ended with a peace deal late last year. National Security Adviser Redwan Hussein tweeted that the prime minister made decisions on increasing flights and banking services to the northern Tigray region along with issues to “boost trust and ease lives of civilians.
8 February 2023: UN refugee agency chief calls for more aid, new long-term strategy
UN refugee agency (UNHCR) chief on Wednesday called for long-term solutions to help those displaced by the recent conflict in Ethiopia. “While the last few years have been incredibly difficult for many of those affected by the conflict, I was very encouraged to see the progress made towards peace in northern Ethiopia and to witness all the efforts made in getting more aid to the people who lost everything,” Filippo Grandi said, concluding a three-day visit to the country. “They need better health, education and sanitation services so that refugees and host communities can thrive”, the UN refugee agency said.
UNHCR reports that Ethiopia hosts more than 800,000 refugees and asylum seekers, mainly from South Sudan, Somalia and Eritrea.
9 February 2023: Eritrean leader dismisses as ‘fantasy’ alleged Tigray abuses
Eritrea’s president in rare public comments has dismissed as “a fantasy” allegations that his country’s forces carried out rape, looting and other abuses in the war in neighboring Ethiopia’s Tigray region. President Isaias Afwerki, the only leader Eritrea has known in its 30 years since independence, spoke to journalists Thursday during a visit to Kenya. Eritrea is not a party to the peace deal, and some of its forces have remained inside Tigray, though the United States recently said they have withdrawn to the border area. The Eritrean president, who rarely speaks to independent media, said his country has “no intention of interfering” in the peace process in Ethiopia and has “no agenda” there.
15 February 2023: Eritrean soldiers accused of rape despite peace deal
Ethiopia’s government signed a peace deal with forces from the northern Tigray region last November, in a bid to end a brutal two-year civil war. But aid groups and locals have told the BBC that attacks on civilians – in particular, sexual assaults on women – have continued. During the two-year conflict in northern Ethiopia the systematic rape of Tigrayan women by Ethiopian soldiers, as well as their allies from neighbouring Eritrea and militia groups, has been documented by the United Nations, human rights organisations and journalists. Forces from Tigray have also been accused of sexually assaulting women in the Amhara region as they made a push towards Ethiopia’s capital.
27 February 2023: Ethiopia seeks to end U.N.-ordered probe into Tigray war abuses
Ethiopia is courting support for a motion to cut short a U.N.-mandated inquiry into atrocities in the Tigray war, five diplomats said, in a move that could divide African and Western nations. The Ethiopian government’s two-year conflict with forces in the northern Tigray region ended last November with thousands dead and millions uprooted. Both sides blamed each other for widely-documented atrocities, including massacres, rape and detentions without trial. Though the Geneva-based U.N. Human Rights Council has never ended a probe before its mandate, Addis Ababa has circulated a draft version of a resolution calling for the Tigray inquiry to stop some six months early. That would also block publication of findings and a final debate at the council. Addis Ababa has opposed the investigation from the outset, calling it politically motivated and trying to block funding.
