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The United Nations said on Friday that fighting continues “in many parts” of Tigray, Ethiopia, complicating efforts to deliver humanitarian aid despite an agreement granting the UN access to federally controlled territory.
Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed announced military operations in the northern region a month ago, saying they were targeting the leaders of his ruling party, the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF). Last week he declared victory, saying the fighting was “complete” after federal forces entered the regional capital, Mekele. But the TPLF has vowed to keep fighting.
“We have reports that fighting continues in many parts of Tigray. This is worrying and is a complex situation for us,” Saviano Abreu, spokesman for the UN humanitarian coordination office, told France-Presse (AFP).
The conflict has claimed thousands of lives, according to the think tank International Crisis Group (ICG), and tens of thousands of refugees have crossed the border into Sudan.
The UN has been warning of a possible humanitarian catastrophe inside Tigray, although a communications blackout has made it difficult to assess conditions on the ground. On Wednesday, the UN announced that it had reached an agreement to administer aid in areas of Tigray that were controlled by the government. But as of Friday, security assessments were still underway, and three UN officials told AFP that aid was not expected to arrive before next week.
