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Civil War Breaks Out in Ethiopia
Civil War Breaks Out in Ethiopia
On November 4th, a violent conflict erupted in Ethiopia between the government and the Tigray People's Liberation Front
Ethiopia, located on the Horn of Africa, is facing a civil war and a devastating humanitarian crisis. Tens of thousands of Ethiopians are escaping to Sudan and other neighboring areas. This all started when the Ethiopian federal government announced that they were at war with the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF).
The Tigray region is the northernmost region of Ethiopia, and the TPLF is a well known political party in Ethiopia. The TPLF was once the most powerful political party until 2018, when Ethiopia’s Prime Minister, Abiy Ahmed, was elected into office. The TPLF and Ahmed have been feuding ever since. However, many refugees and news channels have reported that a larger conflict started on November 4th, 2020, when the TPLF attacked a federal army base. Ahmed tweeted about this on November 6th, stating “The Federal Gov patiently tried for several months to resolve differences with TPLF leadership peacefully.” In response to the attack, Prime Minister Ahmed began mobilizing federal troops against the TPLF.
Ethiopian men, women, and children fled Tigray to protect themselves. With 9 million people in the Tigray region at risk, it is said that hundreds have been killed in the fighting. Refugees have told multiple news sources that people are being killed and that running and hiding is the only option. These refugees describe horrific experiences in their country- bombing during the night, close combat near their homes, and militias targeting civilians. Over 50,000 Ethiopians have fled to Sudan to escape the war, and Sudanese officials say this number could reach 200,000. Fighting in the Tigray region has also left more than 2 million children in urgent need of assistance, with thousands more at risk in Sudanese refugee camps.
“Tigray refugees are expected to have a significant negative impact on neighboring Sudan, a country that is already facing multiple humanitarian and political transition challenges,” said Dr. Mehari Taddele Maru, a scholar of human rights and migration issues.
For those who fled to Sudan, life is not much easier than in Ethiopia. The Sudanese government is trying to provide accommodation, food, and medical services to thousands of Ethiopians amid the global pandemic. But there's only so much that the Sudanese government can do when they're already struggling with their own domestic problems, and overcrowded camps and refugees have been faced with unsanitary conditions and limited access to water and food. Aid workers describe pregnant women, separated families, and sick elderly people among the refugees continuing to arrive daily in Sudan.
The federal government of Ethiopia is still refusing to provide electricity, telephone, banking, and internet services in Tigray. As far as the refugees, it’s not certain when they will be able to head back.
Ethiopia’s civil war is expanding and causing many ethnic tensions throughout Ethiopia. There are many reports of Tigrayans being mistreated outside of Tigray and reports of violence against Non-Tigrayans in Tigray. According to multiple sources, the violence has already spread to Eritrea, a Northeast African country on the Red Sea Coast. On November 14th, the TPLF fired rockets over the border at Asmara, the capital of Eritrea, after accusing the small country of supplying Ethiopian Prime Minister Ahmed with troops.
There's no telling when the fighting will cease, as both sides are determined to emerge victorious from the conflict. And until more definitive information comes out about the civil war's end, more refugees will continue to flood daily into already-overcrowded neighboring countries.
This is Ava’s first year on the Edge staff and second year at Edgewood. She enjoys watching YouTube or reading. As a staff writer this year, she hopes to learn new things and write interesting stories for people.
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