Nairobi, Kenya (AP) – Ethiopia’s prime minister said on Thursday that the army had been ordered to move to the Tigre regional capital after the 72-hour ultimatum to surrender to Tigre leaders ended, and warned half a million residents to stay indoors. .
After three weeks of fighting, the military offensive “has reached its final stage,” Prime Minister Abiya Ahmed’s office said. That means tanks and other weapons could be shut down at McLean, whose residents were warned that “no mercy” if they did not move away from Tigre leaders in time.
This caused an international uproar as rights groups said such words could violate international law and put citizens at greater risk.
Abiya’s statement stressed that thousands of Tigers surrendered to the army and special forces during the four-hour period that ended on Wednesday evening.
“We will take great care to ensure the safety of our citizens,” the statement said.
The United Nations has reported people fleeing the city, but communications and transport links are scattered along the Tigre, and it is unclear how many people in Mikael received timely warnings. Tigre regional leaders are not immediately accessible.
The international community is begging Ethiopian forces have fought the road from Tigre to Macaulay for immediate de-growth, dialogue and humanitarian reach. But Abby, last year’s Nobel Peace Prize The winner, however, denies international “interference”. His government has said there are three high-level African Union envoys to the conflict May meet with Abi, but not with Tigre leaders.
It is difficult to verify the claims in the battle that erupted on November 4 between the Ethiopian forces and the heavily armed forces of the Tigre People’s Liberation Front, which was once dominated by the Ethiopian government. But under the rule of Abijah it has been bound. Both governments now consider each other illegal.
U.N. Now says the shortage in the Tigris region has become “very serious” as its million-million population closes.
With fuel and cash running out, more than 10 million people are now estimated to be displaced and food for about 100,000 refugees from Eritrea will go in a week, according to a report released by its update. Overnight. And more than 600,000 people who depend on a monthly food ration have not received it this month.
Travel barriers are so severe that even within McClellan, the U.N. The World Food Program cannot access food transfers from its warehouses.
A statement this week from a representative of the region’s civil society, seen by the Associated Press, described massive bombings on communities in other locations that prevented many residents from fleeing.
Others are boldly moving from one district to another in the Tigre area and “live in church compounds, streets, schools, health centers,” the statement warned, and carry aid to safe corridors as food runs out. Requested.
Human Rights Watch is warning that “actions that deliberately obstruct relief supplies” violate international humanitarian law, and that a complete shutdown of communications “could be in the form of collective punishment by imposing fines on people without a clear legal basis.”
Another crisis is unfolding More than 20,000,000 Ethiopian refugees have fled to remote areas of Sudan, where humanitarian groups and local communities are struggling to provide them with food, medical treatment and shelter. About half of the refugees are children under the age of 18. Many fled without taking anything.
“When it’s cold, it hurts a lot,” said Alam Kafa, a wounded refugee. “At night, I have to wrap myself tightly in a blanket so I can sleep. But I don’t sleep at night. ”
“Just imagine everything, literally for everything, starting with your food, drinking your water, going to the toilet and washing your hands, for everything you depend on,” said Javanshir Hajiyev at Mercy Corps. . This is a really terrible situation. I can’t push how hard it is. “
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Fay Abulegasim in Am Rikuba contributed to this report.
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