Many people in Ethiopia’s Tigray have not received assistance: UN spokesperson

A United Nations spokesman said on Friday that more than six weeks since the start of the conflict in Tigray, Ethiopia, many people in the region have yet to receive assistance, despite some recent limited deliveries from some UN agencies.

“The International Organization for Migration has delivered aid to the border areas of Tigray and the World Food Program has sent some food to the camps in Tigray,” said Farhan Haq, deputy spokesman for UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres, in a periodic press conference.

“We continue to ask for immediate and unrestricted access to all areas where people have been affected by the fighting,” he said.

“Our humanitarian colleagues tell us that, although electricity and telecommunications work intermittently in the capital of Tigray, Mekelle, people in many other parts of the region still lack access to food, water, cash, energy and telecommunications.” Haq added.

In neighboring Sudan, between 200 and 300 refugees continue to arrive from Ethiopia every day. As of Thursday, nearly 51,100 refugees had crossed the border seeking safety and assistance, he added.

The crisis erupted early last month during clashes between Tigray rebels and the federal government, depriving civilians of their necessities and forcing tens of thousands to flee their homes and refugee camps running out of supplies.