UN alarmed by 'overwhelming' reports of killings of Eritreans refugees in Tigray

The head of United Nations refugee agency (UNHCR) on December 12 said that he is “deeply alarmed” by the “overwhelming” reports of Eritrean refugees in the Ethiopian region of Tigray being killed, abducted and forcibly returned to Eritrea. In a statement, Filippo Grandi said that if such acts were confirmed, it would be a major break of international law. He added that the forced return of Eritrean refugees to these camps was also completely unacceptable. 

Grandi said, “It is vital that Eritrean refugees be able to move to safe locations, and receive protection and assistance wherever possible, including outside of Tigray, given the traumatic events they report to have witnessed or survived”. 

READ: Aid Group Says Staffer Killed In Ethiopia's Tigray Conflict

The Ethiopian forces have been battling the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) in the region since early November. The government had said that it is in control of Tigray and the conflict is over. However, the TPLF said they are still fighting on various fronts. 

Earlier this week, the Ethiopian government said that it was returning Eritrean refugees who had fled to the capital Addis Ababa from camps in Tigray. According to BBC, almost 100,000 Eritrean refugees have been living in camps in Tigray. They had fled political persecution and compulsory military service, long before the current conflict. The government informed that a large number of misinformed refugees are moving out in an irregular manner. They added that the government is safely returning those refugees to their respective camps. 

READ: Ethiopia Rejects Independent Probes Into Tigray Conflict

'Full command' of Tigray

The military confrontation in the region sparked after forces of the ruling TPLF party attacked a military base of the federal forces on November 4, following which, the Ethiopian army launched an offensive. On November 28, in an official announcement, Ethiopia’s army asserted that the Ethiopian National Defense Forces (ENDF's) military operations have concluded with the government's "full command" of Tigray, adding, ENDF had managed to rescue thousands of Northern Command officers held captive by TPLF and had taken control of the Northern Command camp.

TPLF’s repeated military offensives against Ethiopia's ally led to regional instability in the Horn of Africa region. Since the conflict began earlier this month, the telephone and internet lines in the regional state capital of Tigray had been discontinued. As the Ethiopian army entered Tigray, Maj. Gen. Hassan Ibrahim warned that his "armed forces officers will be tasked to hunt down and capture these criminals one by one." 

READ: UN Team Shot At By Ethiopian Military In Tigray

READ: Impatience Rises As Aid Still Blocked To Ethiopia's Tigray