February 23, 2024
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia – 175 Tigrayan civilians, including women and children, have arrived in the town of Sheraro, after fleeing torture and detention in their homeland. The group, which crossed the Tekeze River from western Tigray, reported being targeted and abused solely for their ethnicity.
The Tigray region of Ethiopia has been embroiled in a brutal conflict since November 2020, pitting the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) against the Ethiopian federal government and its allies.
According to Dimtsi Weyane, the war has been marked by widespread human rights abuses, including ethnic profiling, extrajudicial killings, and sexual violence.
According to Mebrahtu Gezae, the Security Coordinator for Lower Adiyabo district, the 175 civilians escaped from detention facilities in Setit Humera, Rawian, Baker, and Maykadra towns in western Tigray. They crossed the Tekeze River near Adi Goshu and entered Sheraro town via the Lower Adiyabo district.
Among the escapees were 10 women and six children under the age of six. The group reportedly had no belongings and were in dire need of humanitarian assistance.
The escapees claim to have been subjected to torture and other forms of abuse solely because of their Tigrayan ethnicity. This aligns with numerous reports of ethnic profiling and targeting by Ethiopian and allied forces in the Tigray region.
The arrival of these 175 civilians highlights the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Tigray, where millions lack access to food, medicine, and other essential supplies. The international community has called for an immediate ceasefire and unrestricted humanitarian access to the region.
The news of the escapees’ arrival has been met with concern and outrage by human rights groups and Tigrayan activists. They have called for an investigation into the reported abuses and for the Ethiopian government to take steps to protect civilians in the region.
