Ethiopia: Unprecedented Catastrophe Awaits Tigray

Nawal Sayed

International media issued a warning that a major catastrophe awaits Ethiopia, according to the Associated Press report published on Sunday.

The AP’s lengthy report revealed that a major catastrophe awaiting Ethiopia if the conflict in Tigray continued for nearly a month.

This catastrophe is an unprecedented humanitarian and health disaster in that region, which is suffering greatly in combating one of the worst outbreaks of the novel coronavirus in Africa, and that local humanitarian services may reach a breaking point.

The US report pointed out that tens of thousands of people fleeing the conflict between Tigray's forces and Ethiopian federal forces crossed into neighboring Sudan, where the number of people infected with the Covid-19 and other viruses and other diseases nationwide is rapidly rising.

More than 45,000 refugees from the Tigray conflict are now living in remote parts of Sudan, where they have taken refuge in crowded camps without testing or treatment capabilities for the Coronavirus.

However, Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed declared victory in the month-long conflict at the end of last week, but fighting between federal and provincial forces continued.

According to humanitarian officials, the crisis in the Tigray region, which has a population of 6 million, remains critical, with medical supplies, including those needed to combat the coronavirus pandemic, decline.

Last month, Ethiopia surpassed 100,000 confirmed coronavirus infections shortly after the start of the bloody conflict.

Meanwhile, a rebel faction in the Tigray region in northern Ethiopia said that explosions, looting and skirmishes continued in parts of the region, after government forces announced that they are days after arresting the leaders of the rebellion.

The government said that the conflict was about to end, a week after the army took control of the capital of Tigray region, but the Popular Front for the Liberation of Tigray, said yesterday that battles were still taking place outside the city.