Status: 24.06.2021 7:17 p.m.
After the air strike in the Tigray region of Ethiopia, care began for the people, some of whom were seriously injured. At the same time, the country elects a new government. Experts warn of a collapse in the region.
From Antje Diekhans,
ARD studio Nairobi
Doctors and helpers look after dozens of newly admitted patients in Mekelle’s hospital. The wounded were brought to the capital of the Tigray region after an air raid. Many have makeshift bandages on their arms and legs.
The doctor Kinfe Redae is standing next to a bed with a baby. He complained to the AP news agency that patients took hours to get to the hospital. “A lot of people have been injured, but they have not received any medical treatment. The streets have been blocked by the military. This baby has injuries to her stomach and chest.”
More than 40 people were killed in the air strike. The International Committee of the Red Cross helped bring the wounded to Mekelle, says spokeswoman Alyona Synenko. “We were able to organize the transport to the regional capital. It is very important for us to point out that medical personnel must be protected,” said Synenko. “This is essential, especially in situations like these.”
Ethiopian military denies shelling of civilians
There are reports that Red Cross ambulances have been prevented from continuing their journey by the military. One car is even said to have been shot at. The spokeswoman did not want to confirm that.
The Ethiopian military justified the airstrike by saying that action should be taken against fighters who were holed up in the city. Only militiamen were injured or killed. “Our planes have eyes, says a military spokesman. They can differentiate between civilians and fighters. Our heroic armed forces carried out a successful mission.”
In November, the Ethiopian government in Addis Ababa began a military offensive against the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF), which had been in power in the region of the same name in northern Ethiopia. The background to this was years of tensions between the TPLF and the central government. Other actors are now involved, including Eritrean troops and militias.
Thousands of people have already been killed
Thousands of people have already died. Prime Minister and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Abiy Ahmed has come under strong international criticism for this approach. He ran with his Prosperity Party in elections this week and was euphoric after his own vote in an interview with the BBC. “These elections are free and fair. I hope it will be the best in our history.”
The Tigray region was left out of the election. No votes have yet been taken in other districts either. Nevertheless, Abiy hopes to legitimize himself as head of government through the election. “The elections are supposed to stabilize the situation. But that is not the right strategy,” says East Africa expert Rashid Abdi. “The Prime Minister would have had the chance to end the conflict in Tigray and initiate a national dialogue. Instead, the country is on the verge of total collapse.”
The government does not rely on dialogue but on military strikes. The war in Tigray is apparently entering the next round.
Situation in Ethiopia’s Tigray region continues to escalate – deaths from air strike
Antje Diekhans, ARD Nairobi, 6/24/2021 5:48 p.m.