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Image posted, Reuters
Forces loyal to the Ethiopian government en route to confront the Tigray People’s Liberation Front
Amnesty International said that “dozens, possibly hundreds” of civilians were killed in a “massacre” in the context of the conflict in Tigray, in northern Ethiopia.
Eyewitnesses blamed forces loyal to the TPLF for the killings on Monday, but Tigray officials denied the involvement of pro-TPLF forces.
Clashes broke out between government forces and the TPLF last week.
Information became difficult with the disruption of telephone lines and the Internet.
This would be the first large-scale killing of civilians in the conflict, if those reports are confirmed.
There was a long-standing tension between the Ethiopian government and the Tigray People’s Liberation Front, which controls Tigray, the country’s extreme north state, before it escalated into military clashes that included government forces launching airstrikes.
As a result, thousands of civilians crossed the border into Sudan, which he says will house them in a refugee camp.
What did Amnesty International say?
Amnesty said in a statement that it could confirm that “dozens, possibly hundreds, were stabbed or stabbed to death in the city of Mai Kadra (Mai Kadera) in the southwestern region of Tigray, Ethiopia, on the night of November 9.”
The human rights organization noted that it “digitally verified horrible photos and videos of corpses scattered around the city or transported on stretchers.”
Amnesty International said the victims appeared to be workers who were not involved in the conflict.
Deprose Muchena, East and Southern Africa Director at Amnesty International, described the incident as a “terrible tragedy” and called on the government to reestablish contacts and allow monitors access to conflict zones.
Amnesty said witnesses reported injuries “caused by sharp weapons such as knives and machetes.”
Some witnesses said that forces loyal to the TPLF carried out the attacks after they were defeated by federal forces in an area called Lugdi.
The United Nations has said that vital aid supplies for hundreds of thousands of people in northern Ethiopia are at risk due to the conflict there.
What is the background?
Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed ordered government forces to confront forces loyal to the TPLF on November 4 after he said military camps had been attacked.
Since then, there have been several clashes and airstrikes.
On Thursday, Abiy said government forces had made significant progress.
The Tigray People’s Liberation Front was the strongest member of the ruling coalition in Ethiopia for many years, but Abiy curbed its influence after coming to power in 2018, while the TPLF refused to join a united party.
Tigray leaders say they have been unfairly targeted with purges and accusations of corruption.
Abiy accuses some of the TPLF leaders of being “fugitives” and opposes their moves to reform the way Ethiopia is run.
