The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reports that people are fleeing their homes in several parts of northern Ethiopia as humanitarian operations continue amid ongoing insecurity. Thousands of internally displaced persons (IDPs) are currently seeking refuge in Debre Berhan, a city in the Amhara Region, and in Shire, a town in northwestern Tigray.
The humanitarian office said in an update on Tuesday that families who had recently returned to the district of Tahtay Adiyabo in northwestern Tigray have reportedly been forced to flee again amid renewed hostilities.
OCHA and its humanitarian partners are preparing to ramp up assistance and prioritize those with the most critical needs. Although aid organizations can reach people in need across much of northern Ethiopia, insecurity and movement restrictions continue to disrupt operations.
For example, in the Amhara region, insecurity has blocked main transit routes connecting Gondar with the towns of Debark and Metema, which complicates the delivery of aid to vulnerable populations.
Violence in northern Ethiopia is pushing health system to the brink
On Monday, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, the head of the World Health Organization (WHO), called for greater protection of civilians caught in the conflict in northern Ethiopia, following deadly drone strikes over the weekend.
āReports of attacks on civilians in Ethiopiaās Amhara and Tigray regions are deeply disturbing. While these are the latest incidents, drone attacks and civilian casualties have tragically become frequent across Ethiopia,ā Ghebreyesus wrote on social media.
He noted that among those reportedly killed at a displacement camp in Amhara were children, including a newborn. In a separate strike in the town of Rama in Tigray, several people were reportedly killed while trying to obtain food.
Ghebreyesus warned that, as fighting continues, more people will likely lose access to essential health care, including emergency services, maternal and child health care, and treatment for diseases.
The WHO Director-General stressed that civilians must be protected and that humanitarian supplies must be allowed to reach those in need.
āThe violence in northern Ethiopia is pushing an already fragile health system closer to collapse. Hospitals face shortages of health workers, medicines, and equipment,ā Ghebreyesus said.
He added that ambulance services are severely limited and insecurity is obstructing the delivery of life-saving medical supplies to some areas.
Escalation exacerbates dire situation
The latest surge in hostilities has worsened the already dire humanitarian situation in northern Ethiopia. Disruptions to essential services and supply routes, including access to healthcare, are causing additional suffering for the civilian population.
On September 22, long-standing tensions between the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF) and the Ethiopian federal government escalated into a large-scale military confrontation. This marked a significant departure from sporadic clashes and airstrikes, leading to widespread combat in northern Ethiopia, including the regions of Tigray, Afar, and Amhara.
The renewed hostilities pit the Ethiopian National Defense Force (ENDF) and its allies against the Tigray Defense Force (TDF), as well as other regional armed groups. These groups include the Amhara Fano militia and the Oromo Liberation Army (OLA), who have formed a seven-member alliance with the aim of toppling the federal government.
Echoes of a devastating prior war
The rapid escalation of violence has sent shockwaves through Tigray's population, which is still recovering from the brutal civil war that ended just four years ago. Rooted in a power struggle between the regional and federal governments, the previous conflict left more than 600,000 people dead and pushed the region to the brink of famine.
The Tigray War was one of the deadliest conflicts of the 21st century. Although the 2022 peace agreement sought to resolve political tensions, key provisions, including the disarmament of Tigray's armed forces and the return of hundreds of thousands of displaced individuals, were never fully implemented.
Before the recent large-scale fighting began, approximately 1.9 million Ethiopians were internally displaced due to conflict, insecurity, and climate-related shocks. Ethiopia is also facing a massive influx of refugees and currently hosts over 1.1 million people, mostly from South Sudan, Somalia, Eritrea, and Sudan.