[ad_1]
Aid workers said Sunday that Ethiopia’s northern Tigray region is experiencing such severe unrest that it is impossible to deliver aid to hundreds of thousands of civilians in need, amid reports of continued fighting, looting and chaos.
Aid organizations have warned of a shortage of food, medicine and body bags in Tigray, whose 600,000 residents were already receiving food aid before the month-long fight broke out between government forces led by Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed and a rebel regional force, according to Reuters.
Abi Ahmed declared his victory over the Popular Front for the Liberation of Tigray after federal forces seized control of Mekele, the provincial capital, eight days ago, denying that any civilians were killed in the attack.
But a city doctor said Sunday that at least 27, including a 4-year-old boy, an elderly person (78 years old) and a family of 4, were killed in the attack.
According to Reuters, the doctor added that “another two were killed and four seriously injured when residents blocked roads in protest against the looting by government forces in Mikkeli, warning that the city’s health services are on the brink of collapse.”
And the doctor continued in a text message: “There is no electricity, no fuel, no power generator, no gloves, no painkillers, no antibiotics, no food for patients, no medical staff and no there is a way to do bank transactions. Even the soldiers seized an ambulance ”. The doctor requested that his name or that of the hospital not be published for fear of reprisals.
Government officials did not immediately respond to requests for comment. The claims of the two parties are difficult to verify, as most communications have been cut off, as well as government control of the media and access to humanitarian aid since the conflict broke out on 4 May. November.
[ad_2]
