SPECIAL REPORT – MEKELE SITUATION REPORT #1 – 04/05/2021

MAIN SOURCE: MEKELE TIMES, A MONTHLY PUBLICATION STARTED BY “THOSE OF US WHO LIVED THE DAYS TO TELL THE STORIES.” FIRST EDITION OF THE NEWSLETTER WAS PUBLISHED IN MEKELE ON DECEMBER 28, 2020.

KEY FACTS AND NUMBERS

Conflict broke out on November 3rd, 2020 when the Ethiopian government declared war against the Tigray Defense Force (TDF). 

The region was attacked and invaded by Ethiopian joint forces, which include Amhara militia, as well as by Eritrean forces supported by the UAE, with the goal of apprehending the democratically elected political leaders of Tigray. 

The conflict, in the previously most stable and peaceful region in Ethiopia, led to an immediate humanitarian crisis that has seen an influx of thousands of refugees into Sudan and millions of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) as fighting intensified.

This conflict has been characterized by indiscriminate killing of civilians, weaponized sexual and gender based violence (SGBV), looting, destruction of essential infrastructure (health facilities, water, power, telecommunication) and cutting off the region’s civilian population from much needed resources, which all amount to war crimes and crimes against humanity.

KEY ACTORS

“This war will haunt Ethiopia and will go down in history [… as ] the only country in the world that invited its former foe and archenemy (Eritrea) to invade its northern territory.”

Amhara militia came through western and southern Tigray. Other militias and special police, including the Oromo, Afar, Somali have been reported to be involved