Addis Ababa – The United Nations has warned that Ethiopia’s conflict-torn Tigray province is on the brink of a humanitarian crisis. More than two million people are bound to face severe starvation and drought. The conflict in Tigray has been going on for more than eight months and has claimed thousands of lives. Last month, a local armed group in Tigray managed to drive the Ethiopian army out of the capital, Mekelle, and hence, Ethiopia declared a ceasefire.
A UN Security Council meeting on Ethiopia was held on Friday. During the meeting, senior UN official Ramesh Rajasingham warned of the dire situation in Tigray. ‘The situation in Tigray has been getting worse over the last few weeks. More than four lakh people face severe drought, and over 18 lakh people are on the verge of starvation and drought. More than 33,000 children are suffering from malnutrition. The situation is likely to get worse,’ said Rajasingham.
UN officials also noted that the drought and food scarcity, which has not been experienced in decades, is rising in Tigray. Over 5 million people have not yet received adequate humanitarian assistance. More than 1.7 million people have been displaced in Tigray, and more than 60,000 have taken refuge in Sudan.
Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed launched an attack on Tigray province in November last year. He also enlisted the help of neighbouring Eritrea. After months of struggle, Prime Minister Ahmed claimed control of Tigray province. However, his claim has proved to be a fallacy in the last few weeks.
Local rebel groups in Tigray have seized the key cities in the province, including the capital, Mekelle. Hundreds of Ethiopian soldiers have been taken as prisoners. In the wake of this humiliation, the Ethiopian government declared a ceasefire a few days ago. However, rebel groups have refused a ceasefire and threaten to continue fighting until complete control of the area is restored. Analysts fear that the conflict and humanitarian crisis in the region will intensify shortly.
