Summary:
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The most recent wave of violence started in August after a flimsy five-month humanitarian ceasefire stopped relief supplies in the northern Ethiopian region, where around five million residents require assistance.
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Aid is still hard to get to people in Tigray because there isn’t enough fuel and there are communication problems.
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Civilians and aid workers were killed. The International Rescue Committee, a partner organization of the UN, has reported that one of its employees was killed in an attack in Tigray on Friday while providing aid to women and children in the town of Shire.
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Even though no one has been blamed for the bombing, the Shire and other parts of Tigray have been hit by many airstrikes since August.
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Tens of thousands of people are thought to have died, and hundreds of thousands have been displaced in Tigray and its neighbors, Amhara and Afar.
The most recent wave of violence started in August after a flimsy five-month humanitarian ceasefire stopped relief supplies in the northern Ethiopian region, where around five million residents require assistance.
Aid is still hard to get to people in Tigray because there isn’t enough fuel and there are communication problems. Also, Tigrayan commanders think Eritrea has started an offensive to help Ethiopian government forces.
Killed civilians and aid workers
The International Rescue Committee, a UN partner organization, said that one of its employees was killed in an attack in Tigray on Friday while helping women and children in the town of Shire.
The organization added in a statement on Saturday that two other people were reportedly murdered, three others were hurt in the bombing, and another IRC staff member was also injured. IRC underlined that people and aid workers should never be targets.
Even though no one has been blamed for the bombing, the Shire and other parts of Tigray have been hit by many airstrikes since August.
Significant impact
In a statement released by his spokesperson, UN Secretary-General António Guterres said that the increase in fighting was having “devastating effects on civilians in an already difficult humanitarian situation.”
He is requesting that hostilities end right away.
It says, “The Secretary-General emphasizes that the United Nations is ready to help restart talks quickly to find a permanent political solution to this terrible conflict.” “The Secretary-General reiterates his full support for an African Union-led mediation effort.”
The African Union-mediated negotiations scheduled to take place in South Africa last month were postponed.
Tens of thousands of people are thought to have died, and hundreds of thousands have been displaced in Tigray and its neighbors, Amhara and Afar. The conflict has an impact on millions of lives.
Help update
In a humanitarian report released on October 4, UN Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric said that UN employees could now ride their bikes back into and out of Tigray but that it was essential to get life-saving air supplies back up and running by road and air.
He told reporters in New York, “Those planes have been blocked since August 25.” This means that supplies and money for operations can’t get into the area, which is very important. ”
“Our partners are still helping in the three regions where they can, even though there are security concerns, access problems, and a lack of resources,” he said.
Tigray is still able to provide essential services and give out the last of the humanitarian aid, even though it has to work with strict limits on how it can do its job.
According to him, 32 mobile health and nutrition clinics were still in operation as of September 26 in 58 hospitals and sites for displaced people. Mr. Dujarric said that new refugees in Amhara and Afar are getting help with food, water, emergency shelter, other supplies, and medical care.
Analysis by: Advocacy Unified Network