Eritrea deploying new army units into Tigray, says regional government 

Earlier this month, the Ethiopian government and the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) agreed to a ceasefire as a first step to ending the two-year conflict.

In a statement issued on Saturday, the Tigray Communication Affairs Office said Eritrean troops continue to commit horrific atrocities against the people of Tigray.

After the signing of the peace agreement in South Africa and Kenya, Tigray hoped the constitution would be respected, hostilities would cease, and Eritrean forces would withdraw from Tigray, said the Tigray media office.

However, Eritrea is deploying more forces to Tigray and has intensified all types of atrocities after the peace agreement, read the statement.

“Instead of withdrawing its forces from Tigray, the Eritrean regime who is not happy with the signed peace agreement is sending new army units into Tigray territory and committing countless atrocities against our people”.

Even after the peace agreement, Eritrean soldiers continued to commit sexual assaults, killings, massacres, and property looting, according to the statement.

The Eritrean forces are “committing sexual assaults and violence against women in its worst form, brutally massacring civilians” and are “looting and taking the resources and properties of the people and government of Tigray in vehicles to Eritrea while destroying and burning what can not be taken”

Tigray’s heritage, including ancient relics and artefacts of Tigray, is also being looted or destroyed on a large scale by the Eritrean army, according to the statement.

The regional government urged the Ethiopian government and the international community to take strong actions to stop the ongoing widespread atrocities and to effect the withdrawal of the Eritrean forces.

“Therefore, the Ethiopian government and the international community must immediately stop the atrocities and injustices being committed by the dictator Isaias Afewerki against Tigray and its people”

The regional government of Tigray called on the international community, especially the African Union, the United Nations, the United States, and the European Union, to take tougher action against the regime.

Meanwhile, Eritrean forces on Saturday summarily gunned down 63 civilians in Tigray, at AdiJeganu locality of Egela district, witnesses and regional officials said.

Among the victims, 10 were children aged between six months and five years old. Some are members of the same family.

Four members of a single household were among the fallen.

The occupying Eritrean units ordered the villagers to come to a compact space before shooting at them, said an eyewitness.

(ST)