Europe External Programme with Africa is a Belgium-based Centre of Expertise with in-depth knowledge, publications, and networks, specialised in issues of peace building, refugee protection and resilience in the Horn of Africa. EEPA has published extensively on issues related to movement and/or human trafficking of refugees in the Horn of Africa and on the Central Mediterranean Route. It cooperates with a wide network of Universities, research organisations, civil society and experts from Ethiopia, Eritrea, Kenya, Djibouti, Somalia, Sudan, South Sudan, Uganda and across Africa. The situation reports can be found here.
Reported war situation in Tigray (as confirmed per 18 February)
– Hunalem Ashagre, the local head of the Prosperity Party, has said that the invasion in Tigray has cost 1.5 billion ETB (31 million €) in damaged and looted property.
– In this gesture of solidarity, PM Abiy has donated his one month salary, 200,000 birr (4.157€) from the sale of the Medemer book and three water tanker trucks through the Office of the Prime Minister. He calls upon all to join the #RebuildTigray solidarity initiative.
– PM Abiy Ahmed attended a virtual meeting with the Tigray provisional government to agree to mobilise support for the Tigray Region in national solidarity with our people, as the region rebuilds.
– It is to be recalled that hundreds of EFFORT and REST vehicles as well as property was stolen and destroyed from factories, shops, universities and citizens by Ethiopian and Eritrean forces.
– A letter is posted at Ayder Referral Hospital in Mekelle stating that patients who were beneficiaries of community-based health insurance, free and other scheme users are no longer considered for health services, if they are not able to pay.
– Previously patients who are unable to pay were able to get health services for free when they provided a support letter from their respective administration. At this critical time, the free health services are stopped for people who are not able to pay.
– Heavy fighting has been reported around Mekelle. This follows several reports of intensifying activity around the city. Earlier this week, trenches and barricades were reportedly being set up on the outskirts of the city ENDF soldiers.
– Antonov airplanes were seen flying over Mekelle.
– There have been power interruptions throughout the day throughout Tigray.
– Mekelle and Adigrat celebrated Lekatit 11 (TPLF anniversary and national celebration) with the national colours of red and yellow balloons as well as flags around the city.
– The UNHCR has said that it has re-established a regular presence in the two southern refugee camps, Mai Ayni and Adi Harush. It is strengthening protection and registration services in both camps.
– UNHCR and its partners are planning the relocations of refugees from both Shimbela and Hitsats refugee camps. Both sites were closer earlier in the month by the Ethiopian government.
– According to the UN 5 thousand refugees have already arrived in Mai Ayni and Adi Harush, with an estimated 15 thousand now dispersed or missing.
– The UNHCR reports 7 IDP sites in Mekelle, with an estimated 52 thousand IDPs present.
– The AP has reported on the massacre which occurred in Aksum. It reports that over 800 people were killed in the massacre at the church Our Mary of Zion, committed by Eritrean soldiers.
– A church deacon interviewed by AP said that he estimated that thousands had been killed in the city.
– The AP source states that bodies were left in the streets, with hyenas feeding on the dead overnight.
– According to the report, indiscriminate shooting continued for days in Aksum.
– Some bodies were left for days before anyone attended to them. One university lecturer recalled “I saw a horse cart carrying around 20 bodies to the church, but Eritrean soldiers stopped them and told people to throw them back on the street.” Many were buried in mass graves.
– Another person interviewed by AP said that federal police and forces were not doing anything to stop the massacres.
– When asked federal forces said orders came from above to not intervene. “They said: ‘What can we do? This shouldn’t have happened from the beginning. This is from above.’”
– Thousands of displaced people had sought shelter in the church. Soldiers then entered the church of Our Mary of Zion and “cornering and dragging out worshippers and shooting at those who fled.” The deacon was able to flee, stumbling over dead bodies as they went along.
– The killings themselves are still going on when the interview took place last week. The deacon said that he buried 3 more people the morning of the interview.
– The deacon also said that in rural areas the situation is much worse. He believes thousands more have been killed in villages surrounding the city.
– Videos appear from Adwa town where Ethiopian soldiers are collecting youths and at same time shooting and killing some of them. The videos show bodies laying in the corners of the street and Ethiopian soldiers ordering the young boys to move the body from the road to the side.
Reported situation in the Horn Region (as confirmed per 18 February)
– According to the Daily News Egypt, The Prime Minister of Sudan, Hamdok, has requested the involvement of the African Union, the European Union, the United States, and the United Nations to help move the negotiations regarding the GERD dam forwards.
– Saudi Arabia has offered to mediate the GERD negotiations. The offer was made on Tuesday, during a meeting between the Saudi minister for African Affairs and senior Sudanese officials, including the Prime minister.
– Ethiopia has accused Sudan dismantling local institutions in the disputed territory. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs also accuses Sudan of invading Ethiopia at a time when it was occupied elsewhere.
– AP concluded after its own investigation, that the UAE was withdrawing from its Assab base in Eritrea. Satellite pictures that AP analyzed showed that barracks and other buildings were being dismantled. They have also found records of ships going back and forth between Assab and the UAE.
Reported international situation (as confirmed per 18 February)
– Biden Mulls over the appointment of a Special Envoy for Horn of Africa, which, “ if created, would bring more diplomatic firepower to the brewing crisis in Ethiopia.”
– The EU Development Commissioner has said that the bloc needs to plan carefully with regards to Ethiopia. The new budget is coming into force soon. The Commissioner said that the EU and its Member States need to have a broader strategy regarding Ethiopia, and an idea of what to do with the financial support to Ethiopia.
– USAid mission director Sean Jones has completed a tour in Tigray this week. The visit addressed humanitarian and governance challenges associated with conflict to “identify solutions for rapidly scaling up assistance to reach as many communities as possible.”
– Tigrayans also celebrated Lekatit 11 around the world with diaspora holding an event via Zoom. The Tigray government was represented through Ambassador Berhan Meskel.
Disclaimer: All information in this situation report is presented as a fluid update report, as to the best knowledge and understanding of the authors at the moment of publication. EEPA does not claim that the information is correct but verifies to the best of ability within the circumstances. Publication is weighed on the basis of interest to understand potential impacts of events (or perceptions of these) on the situation. Check all information against updates and other media. EEPA does not take responsibility for the use of the information or impact thereof. All information reported originates from third parties and the content of all reported and linked information remains the sole responsibility of these third parties. Report to info@eepa.be any additional information and corrections.
Links of interest
https://apnews.com/article/witnesses-recall-massacre-axum-ethiopia-fa1b531fea069aed6768409bd1d20bfa
https://www.devex.com/news/eu-development-chief-calls-for-united-response-on-ethiopia-99184
Martin Plaut 
Greetings from Eastern Africa Ethiopia, I am a concerned citizen for my country and every human being on the globe, so I appreciate the exposure of the current ETHIOPIAN government Genocide that committed by its regional officials ,not only the Tigrians region but also Benishangul and Oromia regins are the main hub of DELIBERATE ETHNIC CLEANSING & GENOCIDE on the Amhara inhabitants , if you can expand the scope of your view to show the world to the justice how the ETHIOPIAN government Officials are very delusional and their darkness on humanity , its a mega evidence you can proudly provide .
Thank you for your unceasing work in bringing the suffering of the people of Tigray to the attention of the world.
Dear Martin, Excellent article as usual. Thank you for being a voice for the voiceless.
I wanna see this man get arrested and brought to justice .
We have people from Amhara tribe telling their ethnic members “ወያኔን መግደል ያጸድቃል” meaning it is a righteous act to kill TPLF and in doing so Ye will inherit the kingdom of God.
This is what we heard from those people who are used to sitting behind keyboard setting Yo utube as an effective video platform for small business marketing.
Nowadays, Socialmedia and youtube become propaganda machine and best tool for these thugs to dessiminate hatespeech with all those most offensive vulgar words available in the dictionary. FYI; it appears that Amharic holds too many vulgar words than other languges due to the fact that the amhara elites developped hate, discrimination and abuse for centuries during those decades they grab power for all non-amhara tribes let alone for Tegarus.
They are whining for 30 years of TPLF leadership while they treated non -amhara ethnic memebrs as captives and tenants for centuries.
These days , I met some friends saying ” My politics is my country and religion and others claim I donot want engage in politics when we told them to speak up for the truth and condemn the genocide.
We all habesha men believe in one Almighty God regardless of the denomination or religion we adhere to. However, speaking against mass starvation, premediatated genocide , mass incarceration of civilians for their political view & ethnic background has nothing to do with supporting a single political party . We are not campaigning for a political party to get elected or we are not developping consipiracy theory to topple a party that contradicts our views but we are condemning an adminstration killing its own people with its defence partners from Eritrea , Somalia and UAE.
BTW, I am quite suprised to these days by silence that the international community showed us by not condemning UAE for its military intervention and atrocities in Tigray .
Thank you