Latest news with #Tigrayans
The Hill
15-07-2025
- The Hill
Medical charity MSF accuses Ethiopian soldiers of ‘targeted killing' of 3 staffers in Tigray in 2021
ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia (AP) — International aid organization Doctors Without Borders on Tuesday released a report describing the gunning-down of three staffers in Ethiopia's Tigray region four years ago as an 'intentional and targeted killing' by members of Ethiopia's military. Ethiopia's government hasn't commented on the new report and didn't immediately reply to questions from The Associated Press. María Hernández Matas, a 35-year-old Spanish coordinator, local colleague Yohannes Haleform Reda and driver Tedros Gebremariam were shot dead in June 2021, forcing the medical charity, also known by its French acronym, MSF, to stop its services in Tigray despite conflict there. The two years of fighting that ended in late 2022 between Tigrayans and the federal government and its allies left an estimated hundreds of thousands of people dead and an unknown number of others wounded. The new MSF report accuses the Ethiopian federal government of not following through on its promise to investigate and release its findings, despite pressure from the families of the deceased and the humanitarian organization. 'And we know that our colleagues were not killed by mistake, or in a crossfire situation. There was no active fighting at that time. They were fully identifiable as humanitarian workers and were shot several times at close range while facing their attackers,' Paula Gil Leyva, president of MSF Spain, told the AP. The report says Ethiopian troops were on the road where the MSF staffers were killed, and some civilian witnesses overheard a radio exchange between a commander and his troops as he gave an order to shoot. 'Our teams had been suffering hostility and aggressions by the (Ethiopian National Defense Force) ground troops, the (Eritrean Defense Force) troops and their allied militia for weeks before the killings,' Leyva said. ___
Winnipeg Free Press
15-07-2025
- Health
- Winnipeg Free Press
MSF accuses Ethiopian soldiers of ‘targeted killing' of 3 staffers in Tigray in 2021
ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia (AP) — International aid organization Doctors Without Borders on Tuesday released a report describing the gunning-down of three staffers in Ethiopia's Tigray region four years ago as an 'intentional and targeted killing' by members of Ethiopia's military. María Hernández Matas, a 35-year-old Spanish doctor, local colleague Yohannes Haleform Reda and driver Tedros Gebremariam were shot dead in June 2021, forcing the medical charity also known by its French acronym, MSF, to stop its services in Tigray despite conflict there. The two years of fighting that ended in late 2022 between Tigrayans and the federal government and its allies left an estimated hundreds of thousands of people dead and an unknown number of others wounded. The new MSF report accuses the Ethiopian federal government of not following through on its promise to investigate and release its findings despite pressure from the families of the deceased and the humanitarian organization. 'And we know that our colleagues were not killed by mistake, or in a crossfire situation. There was no active fighting at that time. They were fully identifiable as humanitarian workers and were shot several times at close range while facing their attackers,' Paula Gil Leyva, president of MSF Spain, told The Associated Press. The report says Ethiopian troops were on the road where the MSF staffers were killed, and some civilian witnesses overheard a radio exchange between a commander and his troops as he gave an order to shoot. 'Our teams had been suffering hostility and aggressions by the (Ethiopian National Defense Force) ground troops, the (Eritrean Defense Force) troops and their allied militia for weeks before the killings,' Leyva said. Ethiopia's government has not commented on the new report and did not immediately reply to questions from the AP.
eNCA
14-05-2025
- Politics
- eNCA
Ethiopia bans historic Tigrayan opposition party
TIGRAY - A leading opposition party that dominated Ethiopian politics for decades has been banned from any political activity, the Election Commission said Wednesday, ahead of national elections due next year. The Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF) has roots that go back a long way in national politics. It led the 1991 revolution that toppled the authoritarian Derg regime and ruled until 2018, when current prime minister, Abiy Ahmed, took power and effectively sidelined the party. In 2020, the TPLF's home region of Tigray in northern Ethiopia erupted in a vicious two-year conflict against the federal government that ultimately claimed some 600,000 lives. A peace accord in November 2022 has failed to address many issues stemming from the war. The TPLF, now in opposition, has been roiled by internal divisions in recent months, resulting in violent clashes in Tigray and the removal of the regional leader, Getachew Reda. In a statement on Wednesday, the Election Commission's board said it had "resolved to formally deregister" the party on the grounds that it had failed to hold a general assembly. The decision comes as Ethiopia prepares for elections to be held by June 2026 at the latest. The TPLF had already been suspended for three months in February and warned of deregistration if it did not take "corrective action" within three months. The TPLF can still apply for re-registration for the 2026 polls. TPLF senior leadership did not immediately respond to AFP's requests for comment. - Changing status - Although the peace deal ended the war in November 2022, there has been frustration in Tigray at the failure to implement its terms, including the return of some one million people displaced by the war. The TPLF first lost its party status at the end of 2020 when hostilities broke out, only regaining recognition after the peace deal. It was considered a terrorist entity by federal forces while the war continued. Political analysts were not surprised by the latest decision, but said the consequences remain to be seen. "This is pushing TPLF to reconsider their relationship with the federal government," said Horn of Africa specialist Kjetil Tronvoll. He told AFP the move could push the party into "reconsidering new alliances with other political actors in Ethiopia and the region". That was a reference to neighbouring Eritrea, which has had fraught relations with Ethiopia since gaining independence in 1993. Although the two countries fought together against the Tigrayans in the 2020-22 war, tensions have again resurfaced in its aftermath, with some analysts fearing they are preparing for renewed conflict.
Yahoo
22-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Ethiopians are one shock away from catastrophe
In a stark warning, the head of the UN's food aid agency in Ethiopia has said millions in the country are "one shock away from falling into a catastrophe". Zlatan Milišić's statement came as he announced that because of a lack of funding the World Food Programme (WFP ) "is being forced to halt treatment" for more than half a million malnourished women and children starting next month. Those affected are among 3.6 million people who would no longer have access to food aid in the coming weeks without more money coming in, the WFP has warned. Ethiopia is still feeling the after-effects from a two-year civil war in the northern region of Tigray that ended in 2022. There is also ongoing violence in the two most populous regions, Amhara and Oromia, that has forced hundreds of thousands from their homes. Plus conflicts in neighbouring countries has led to an influx of refugees. An on-going drought in the south-east of the country is also causing concern. In a statement which outlines that "hunger and malnutrition are on the rise" in the country of 130 million people, the WFP said 650,000 women and children will not be getting what it calls "life-saving" help from May. Looking beyond next month, Mr Milišić said that without more funding "we will not be able to deliver any food assistance to the most vulnerable families we support in three months from now". The WFP said it was facing a shortfall of $222m (£166m) for the April-September period in Ethiopia, "despite the generosity of many governments and individual donors". The WFP has not been affected by the Trump administration's cuts to its foreign aid programme, a UN spokesperson told the BBC, adding that "we have not received enough funding from all donors". In addition to financial constraints, the WFP said its humanitarian operations have been disrupted by the ongoing violence and insecurity in Amhara, "threatening our ability to reach over half a million vulnerable people in the region". "Criminal activities such as car hijacking, threats, and theft, are on the rise and pose serious risks to staff safety and impact the delivery of life saving assistance," it added. Ethiopia, a country of a population of around 130 million people, has also been receiving thousands of refugees from Sudan, Somalia, South Sudan and Eritrea. 'No-one can handle another war' - Tigrayans fear fresh Ethiopian conflict Eritrean refugees describe police crackdown in Ethiopia I recognised my sister in video of refugees captured in Sudan war Ten women, one guy: The risk-taking dating show that stirred Ethiopia Go to for more news from the African continent. Follow us on Twitter @BBCAfrica, on Facebook at BBC Africa or on Instagram at bbcafrica Africa Daily Focus on Africa
BBC News
22-04-2025
- Politics
- BBC News
Ethiopia food security: Millions are one shock away from catastrophe
In a stark warning, the head of the UN's food aid agency in Ethiopia has said millions in the country are "one shock away from falling into a catastrophe".Zlatan Milišić's statement came as he announced that because of a lack of funding the World Food Programme (WFP ) "is being forced to halt treatment" for more than half a million malnourished women and children starting next affected are among 3.6 million people who would no longer have access to food aid in the coming weeks without more money coming in, the WFP has warned. Ethiopia is still feeling the after-effects from a two-year civil war in the northern region of Tigray that ended in 2022. There is also ongoing violence in the two most populous regions, Amhara and Oromia, that has forced hundreds of thousands from their homes. Plus conflicts in neighbouring countries has led to an influx of on-going drought in the south-east of the country is also causing a statement which outlines that "hunger and malnutrition are on the rise" in the country of 130 million people, the WFP said 650,000 women and children will not be getting what it calls "life-saving" help from May. Looking beyond next month, Mr Milišić said that without more funding "we will not be able to deliver any food assistance to the most vulnerable families we support in three months from now".The WFP said it was facing a shortfall of $222m (£166m) for the April-September period in Ethiopia, "despite the generosity of many governments and individual donors".The WFP has not been affected by the Trump administration's cuts to its foreign aid programme, a UN spokesperson told the BBC, adding that "we have not received enough funding from all donors".In addition to financial constraints, the WFP said its humanitarian operations have been disrupted by the ongoing violence and insecurity in Amhara, "threatening our ability to reach over half a million vulnerable people in the region". "Criminal activities such as car hijacking, threats, and theft, are on the rise and pose serious risks to staff safety and impact the delivery of life saving assistance," it added. Ethiopia, a country of a population of around 130 million people, has also been receiving thousands of refugees from Sudan, Somalia, South Sudan and Eritrea. You may also be interested in: 'No-one can handle another war' - Tigrayans fear fresh Ethiopian conflictEritrean refugees describe police crackdown in EthiopiaI recognised my sister in video of refugees captured in Sudan warTen women, one guy: The risk-taking dating show that stirred Ethiopia Go to for more news from the African us on Twitter @BBCAfrica, on Facebook at BBC Africa or on Instagram at bbcafrica
