The Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) accused the Ethiopian army of killing more than 250 Tigray civilians and causing the displacement of hundreds from the district of Abala, Afar.
In a press statement, the government of Tigray said that Ethiopian army and their allies are looting, harassing, and killing civilians living in the area.
The statement described those who managed to flee Abala as “lucky” after authorities demanded that the people of Tigrayan identity evacuate the area.
Furthermore, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs reported that dozens of civilians were recently killed in airstrikes in the war-torn Tigray region of northern Ethiopia, claiming it is the highest casualty toll since last October.
The strikes targeted the towns of Alamata, Korim, Maisho, Mikuni, and Melazat in southern Tigray, as well as the provincial capital, Mekele.
The conflict broke out in November 2020 when Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed sent troops to Tigray to overthrow the TPLF, whose fighters were accused of attacking army camps and challenging his authority.
Ahmed had promised a quick victory, but the front surprised the Ethiopian army and regained control of much of the Tigray province in June before advancing into neighbouring Afar and Amhara. However, in December the situation was reversed, as the Ethiopian government managed to push back Tigray fighters who retreated to their region.
