Fate of refugees uncertain after major offensive
NAIROBI, Kenya — Ethiopia’s declaration that it has completed its military offensive in its defiant Tigray region “does not mean the conflict is finished,” the U. N. refugee chief said Sunday, adding he is deeply concerned about the fate of nearly 100,000 Eritrean refugees there amid reports that some have been abducted.
If confirmed, such treatment of refugees in camps close to the Tigray border with Eritrea “would be major violations of international norms,” Filippo Grandi told reporters. “It is my strong appeal for the prime minister of Ethiopia for this situation to be addressed as a matter of urgency.”
Nearly a month of fighting between Ethiopian federal forces and Tigray regional troops has threatened to destabilize Ethiopia, the linchpin of the strategic Horn of Africa, and its neighbors. The involvement of neighboring Eritrea in the conflict has been alleged by refugees and the now fugitive Tigray leaders but, like much in the sealedoff region, has not been verified.
Meanwhile, in a rare report from inside the Tigray capital of Mekele, the International Committee of the Red Cross said a major hospital in northern Ethiopia, Ayder Referral Hospital, is lacking body bags while some 80% of its patients have trauma injuries.
“The influx of wounded forced the hospital to suspend many other medical services so that limited staff and resources could be devoted to emergency medical care,” it said.
Eritrea, which watchdogs call one of the world’s most repressive countries, has remained almost silent on the allegations by the Tigray regional leaders that it has assisted in the conflict at the invitation of Ethiopia and its Nobel Peace Prizewinning Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, whose government has denied it.
Overnight, the U. S. Embassy in Eritrea said six explosions were heard in the capital, Asmara. It followed an embassy report of another explosion on Friday, nearly two weeks after the Tigray regional leader confirmed firing missiles at the city.
The latest explosions came just hours after Abiy declared victory in his government’s fighting against the Tigray People’s Liberation Front, which has run the northern Tigray region. The army said it was in “full control” of Mekele but the government said TPLF leaders remain on the run.
Nearly 1 million people have been displaced, including about 44,000 who fled into Sudan. Many have said they were running from the deadly violence of Ethiopian forces and attacks from the direction of Eritrea.