Tigray’s humanitarian crisis deepens as Ethiopian troops target civilians
ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia | The current crisis in the Tigray region continues to worsen as Ethiopian national defense forces [ENDF] continue to search several villages, even weeks after the UN raised a red alert over the matter.
A report prepared by the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs [OCHA] shows that serious violations against civilians have escalated with many cases of sexual assault reported daily in the Tigray region, particularly the administrative capital of Mekele.
The United Nations has persistently called for the de-escalation of the crisis with the team facing difficulties in reaching out to the victims, some of the tender age and in need of emergency medical care and psychological support.
“Serious violations and assaults on civilians, including sexual violence, continue to be reported,” reads part of the report. “The level of violence and the age of many victims require robust mental health and psychosocial support [MHPSS] answers in addition to immediate access to medical services. “
According to OCHA, the access situation in Tigray is “very fluid and constantly changing”. While access has improved over the past few weeks, this week witnessed widespread insecurity that limited the ability of humanitarian partners to move, OCHA said in the report.
The Tigray region was transformed into a conflict zone by the Ethiopian national defense forces [ENDF] launched an attack on the Tigray People’s Liberation Front [TPLF], an ethnic political faction in Ethiopia that had opposed the federal government.
Some authentic reports also indicate that a contingent of troops from Eritrea also participated in the crisis, especially during the great conquest of Mekele city, the regional administrative capital of Tigray. The troops have since been withdrawn, according to Ethiopia.
However, OCHA noted: “There have been occasional incidents that have affected this road in recent weeks, but only for short periods. Fierce fighting appears to have largely subsided in areas bordering Eritrea in eastern and northern Woredas. in the northwestern and central zones. “
“Tigray’s humanitarian partners continue to operate in a high-risk environment due to the volatility of the security situation, where armed clashes are rapidly evolving in intensity and geographical scale,” the UN statement added.
Among other things, the OCHA team wants the authorities to deploy trained and neutral police forces to protect important services is crucial. The team will help avert security crisis in the region, which has struggled with stability for several months.
In addition, they want the restoration of banking, electricity, basic communications and water services to alleviate the suffering of displaced and vulnerable groups, including women, children, the disabled and the elderly, and to allow for an expansion of response operations.
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