The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights called on Michelle Bachelet, Ethiopia, Thursday, to facilitate the entry of United Nations observers to Tigray region to investigate reports of ongoing killings and sexual violence that may amount to war crimes.
She said in a statement that her office “was able to establish information about some of the events that occurred last November, according to indiscriminate bombing operations in the cities of Mekele, Hamira and Adigrat in the Tigray region, and information about serious violations and abuses, including massacres in Axum and Dingilat in central Tigray.” On the part of the Eritrean Armed Forces. ”
Serious violations
She also added,“ There may be serious violations of international law that may amount to war crimes and crimes against humanity.
She said that “with the presence of several parties in the conflict and a general denial, it is clear that there is a need for an objective and independent evaluation,” noting that her office is still receiving information about the battles taking place in central Tigray.
Ethiopian rejection
This came days after the Ethiopian government rejected US calls to withdraw its forces from the besieged Tigray region.
In Responding to the call of the US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken to withdraw troops from Tigray immediately, the Ethiopian Ministry of Foreign Affairs said, “It is up to the government of Addis Ababa, not to a foreign power.”
This comes as concern has grown over the fate of Tigray’s six million people, along with There have been reports of continuing fierce fighting between Ethiopian forces and those supporting the fleeing Tigrayans.
Crimes against humanity
Blinken’s statements came after Amnesty International issued a report. Eritrean forces are accused of killing hundreds of civilians within 24 hours of last year, in an incident that the organization described as possibly reaching the level of crimes against humanity.
In a new report, the human rights organization collected testimonies of survivors of this massacre and used satellite images. To form a complete picture of this event, which, according to the organization, took place last November in the historic town of Axum in the north of the Tigray region.
Military operation
Tigrayans have been witnessing battles since the beginning of November, when Ethiopian Prime Minister Abyei Ahmed announced the launch of military operations against the Tigrayan People’s Liberation Front, the former ruling party in The northern region, after he accused him of attacking the federal army camps.
The pro-government forces also took control of the regional capital, Makele in late November, but clashes continued in the region.
This is the case. Ethiopia is under pressure from the United States, the European Union and the United Nations, due to the bloody fighting in the northern Tigray region, where about 6 million people have been largely isolated from the world since the start of fighting in November between Ethiopian and allied forces.
