UN Accuses Ethiopia of Committing Crimes against Humanity in Tigray

An investigation conducted by the United Nations (UN) High  Commissioner for Human Rights has accused the federal Ethiopian army of committing crimes against humanity in Tigray province.

The Ethiopian forces, loyal to Prime Minister Airy Ahmed Ali, swept the dissenting province last November after confrontations broke out the central government based in Addis Ababa.

The UN published a report on abuses of human rights in Tigray after the Ethiopian authorities announced the emergency state last Sunday as the Tigrayan forces and their allies were advancing toward Addis Abba, the capital city of Ethiopia.

The UN report stated that the Ethiopian army had committed crimes against humanity including mass rape, murdering of non-combatant civilians, and enforcing peaceful civilians to flee homes.

The report indicated that militias affiliated with the Ethiopian army tortured civilians and mutilated the organs of the victims.

The Ethiopian government commented on the UN report as saying it did not mention things like genocide or using food in the war to strave population in Tigray.

The government revealed that it is going to create a commission to investigate the crimes and violations mentioned in the UN report.

It is worth noting forces of the Tigray’s Popular Liberation Front (  TPLF) seek to lift the siege imposed on the province by the Ethiopian army last year.

But the TPLF forces were able to reverse the situation on the ground and expel the Ethiopians out of the province.

The Tigrayan front also tries to find a passage to neighboring countries, especially, Sudan.

The Tigrayan forces have recently concentrated attacks on the Amhara region, which is considered the main ally with Ethiopia’s PM in the current civil war.

Before a few days, the Tigrayan forces took over a number of strategic towns and repelled the Ethiopian army from these towns.

The Ethiopian government responded by calling for citizens to carry arms to fight forces of the TPLF advancing toward the capital as international efforts failed to reach a ceasefire between the Ethiopian authorities and opponents.