15 UN peacekeepers from Tigray refuse to return to Ethiopia

Fifteen members of a contingent of Ethiopian peacekeepers in South Sudan, originally from the Tigray region, have refused to return to Ethiopia, the UN said, citing their right to seek asylum if they fear for their lives.

Tigray has been the theater of fighting since early November 2020, when Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed announced military operations against the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF), accusing them of attacking federal army camps.

He declared victory after pro-government troops took regional capital Mekele in late November, though the TPLF vowed to fight on and clashes have persisted in the region, hampering efforts to deliver sorely-needed humanitarian assistance.