Internally displaced people receive food aid from the UN in the Tigray region of Ethiopia. Renewed fighting in Tigray could lead to a new round of crisis in Ethiopia Peace and security
UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk on Tuesday called on all parties involved in renewed heavy fighting in Ethiopia’s Tigray region to cease hostilities, and warned of the risk of a further escalation of the crisis both in the north and beyond.
“The situation remains extremely fragile and we fear further deterioration, which will worsen the already dire human rights and humanitarian situation in the region,” Turk said.
Echoes of the previous conflict
Recent developments in Tigray continue the bloody conflict 2020–2022 between government forces and separatist forces in the region, caused by rising tensions between federal and local authorities. The clashes, which reportedly involved troops from neighboring Eritrea, have killed tens of thousands of people and forced more than two million from their homes. About a million of them are still internally displaced.
“Between Two Fires”
According to the UN Human Rights Office (OHCHR), the new flare-up has led to increased fighting between the Ethiopian National Defense Forces and Tigray regional security forces near the border with Amhara state.
“Both sides used drones, artillery and other heavy weapons,” Turk noted. “Civilians are once again caught between two sides, with both sides reportedly making arrests of people suspected of having links to the other side.” This must stop.”
Meanwhile, clashes continue in the south and southeast of Tigray between federal troops and the Tigray Peace Force, a rival faction, the High Commissioner added.
“All sides must step back from the brink and seek a solution to their differences through political means,” Turk said. “Reports of serious violations or abuses must be promptly and independently investigated.”
Turk’s Call
Speaking to reporters in Geneva, High Commissioner spokeswoman Ravina Shamdasani warned that new clashes could break out “at any moment,” with dire consequences for civilians. She recalled Türk’s call for all parties to reaffirm their commitment to the Pretoria Ceasefire Agreement signed in 2022.
The warring parties must also ensure the return of internally displaced persons to their homes, one of the confidence-building measures provided for in the agreement, she said. “This process is not going as smoothly as it should have,” she said.
Threat to the stability of the entire region
The High Commissioner also warned that recent tensions between Ethiopia and Eritrea could worsen already serious human rights problems and complicate the humanitarian situation in both countries, as well as throughout the Horn of Africa region.
“We call for resolving differences politically rather than resorting to violence,” said Ravina Shamdasani. “We remember what happened in 2020-2021, when the conflict in Tigray escalated into a full-scale war… We cannot afford to return to that scenario.”