OMNA TIGRAY – MARCH 2021 SITUATION REPORT

On November 4, 2020, unelected Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed enacted a “law-and-order operation” against the elected Tigray regional government. This quickly escalated into a regional war with the involvement of foreign actors.

Since the war began, Tigrayans have endured population displacement, starvation, healthcare emergencies, lack of access to essential services and needs, and other war crimes. Reportedly more than 50,000 civilians have died, over 60,000 Tigrayans have fled into Sudan, over 500,000 Tigrayans are internally displaced, and 4.5 million Tigrayans are at risk of starvation. There have also been countless reports of Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV) by Ethiopian and Eritrean forces. Further, the war on Tigray has crippled the region’s healthcare infrastructure, affecting over 6 million people. Over 80 percent of hospitals in Tigray are defunct because they have been looted, bombed, or now lack medical staff, and most life-saving medicines are not available.

Aid agencies are unable to reach 80 percent of Tigray’s population. Internet services have been consistently down and telephone services mostly cut off, with sporadic connectivity across Tigray. The Ethiopian government has largely restricted local and international media agencies from entering Tigray. The Ethiopian government suspended the licenses of BBC and Reuters, two of the largest international media organizations soon after the war began. As of the end of February 2021, representatives from seven international media outlets were allowed into Tigray’s capital Mekelle, though their access to civilians was limited, and many of their translators have since been detained. The Eritrean government is heavily involved in carrying out mass indiscriminate killing of civilians, SGBV, looting, and destroying infrastructure and UNESCO heritage sites. The European Union has joined the United States in calling for the withdrawal of Eritrean troops, which are fueling the conflict in Tigray, committing atrocities and exacerbating ethnic violence, from Ethiopia. Eritrea continues to deny involvement in the war on Tigray amid mounting evidence, and PM Abiy has opposed any international mediation efforts.