Ethiopians vote on Monday in national and regional elections that the prime minister has billed as proof of his commitment to democracy after decades of repressive rule in Africa`s second-most populous nation. 
 
Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, 44, oversaw sweeping political and economic reforms after his appointment in 2018 by the ruling coalition. But some rights activists say those gains are being reversed and complain of abuses in a war in Ethiopia`s Tigray region, charges the government denies. 
 
Abiy said last week the vote would be the "first attempt at free and fair elections" in Ethiopia, whose once rapidly growing economy has been hit by conflict and the COVID-19 pandemic. 
 
Results of the vote could reverberate beyond Ethiopia. The Horn of Africa nation is a diplomatic heavyweight in a volatile region, providing peacekeepers to Somalia, Sudan and South Sudan. It also is one of the world`s biggest frontier markets. 
 
Abiy`s newly-formed Prosperity Party is the frontrunner in a crowded field of candidates mostly from smaller, ethnically-based parties. Billboards with his party`s lightbulb symbol adorn the capital. 
 
Former political prisoner Berhanu Nega is the only other prominent candidate not running on an ethnic ticket. But his Ethiopian Citizens for Social Justice party has struggled to attract support outside cities. 
 
During the last election, the ruling coalition and its allies won all 547 seats. This time, more than 37 million of Ethiopia`s 109 million people are registered to vote, choosing from 46 parties for parliament. The electoral board says more candidates are running this time than in any previous vote. 
 
Not all parties are taking part. In Oromiya, Ethiopia`s most populous province, the largest opposition parties are boycotting over alleged intimidation by regional security forces. Officials did not return calls seeking comment. 
 
Problems with voting registration and simmering ethnic violence have delayed voting in a fifth of constituencies. A second round of voting will take place in September. 
 
No date has been set for voting in Tigray, where the government has been fighting the region`s former governing party, the Tigray People`s Liberation Front, since November. The United Nations says some 350,000 people face famine there. 
 
`ALMOST A DEMOCRACY` 
 
Drinking a beer in the capital Addis Ababa, retired civil servant Yohannes Asrat said he had seen both force and rigging during elections in his lifetime but hoped Monday`s vote would be different. "We`re almost a democracy," he said. 
 
Abiy`s reforms include lifting a ban on dozens of political parties and media outlets, releasing tens of thousands of political prisoners and easing restrictions on political gatherings. 
 
But Fisseha Tekle from rights group Amnesty International said the government was still quashing dissent using a revised anti-terrorism law and new hate speech legislation that can lead to prison terms for online content. 
 
"The government is using these laws to arrest people and keep them in prison for a long time," Fisseha said. 
 
In the capital, many construction projects have paused as growth has slowed in what until recently was one of Africa`s fastest expanding economies, leaving tattered sheeting covering skeletons of unfinished buildings. Many voters are more concerned about reviving the economy than democratic reforms. 
 
Abiy has promised to bring in foreign investment and speed up electrification by filling a giant $4 billion hydropower dam on the Blue Nile, stoking tension with Egypt and Sudan, which fear the Nile water supplies they rely on might be interrupted. 
 
But annual inflation is now about 20% and growth is forecast at just 2% this year after topping 10% before the pandemic. 
 
"The cost of living is increasing," said shopkeeper Murad Merga, whose window was adorned with ruling party posters. But he remained upbeat: "Everything will be fixed step by step."

Ethiopians vote on Monday in national and regional elections that the prime minister has billed as proof of his commitment to democracy after decades of repressive rule in Africa`s second-most populous nation.

Ethiopians vote on Monday in national and regional elections that the prime minister has billed as proof of his commitment to democracy after decades of repressive rule in Africa`s second-most populous nation. Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, 44, oversaw sweeping political and economic reforms after his appointment in 2018 by the ruling coalition. But some rights activists say those gains are being reversed and complain of abuses in a war in Ethiopia`s Tigray region, charges the government denies. Abiy said last week the vote would be the "first attempt at free and fair elections" in Ethiopia, whose once rapidly growing economy has been hit by conflict and the COVID-19 pandemic. Results of the vote could reverberate beyond Ethiopia. The Horn of Africa nation is a diplomatic heavyweight in a volatile region, providing peacekeepers to Somalia, Sudan and South Sudan. It also is one of the world`s biggest frontier markets. Abiy`s newly-formed Prosperity Party is the frontrunner in a crowded field of candidates mostly from smaller, ethnically-based parties. Billboards with his party`s lightbulb symbol adorn the capital. Former political prisoner Berhanu Nega is the only other prominent candidate not running on an ethnic ticket. But his Ethiopian Citizens for Social Justice party has struggled to attract support outside cities. During the last election, the ruling coalition and its allies won all 547 seats. This time, more than 37 million of Ethiopia`s 109 million people are registered to vote, choosing from 46 parties for parliament. The electoral board says more candidates are running this time than in any previous vote. Not all parties are taking part. In Oromiya, Ethiopia`s most populous province, the largest opposition parties are boycotting over alleged intimidation by regional security forces. Officials did not return calls seeking comment. Problems with voting registration and simmering ethnic violence have delayed voting in a fifth of constituencies. A second round of voting will take place in September. No date has been set for voting in Tigray, where the government has been fighting the region`s former governing party, the Tigray People`s Liberation Front, since November. The United Nations says some 350,000 people face famine there. `ALMOST A DEMOCRACY` Drinking a beer in the capital Addis Ababa, retired civil servant Yohannes Asrat said he had seen both force and rigging during elections in his lifetime but hoped Monday`s vote would be different. "We`re almost a democracy," he said. Abiy`s reforms include lifting a ban on dozens of political parties and media outlets, releasing tens of thousands of political prisoners and easing restrictions on political gatherings. But Fisseha Tekle from rights group Amnesty International said the government was still quashing dissent using a revised anti-terrorism law and new hate speech legislation that can lead to prison terms for online content. "The government is using these laws to arrest people and keep them in prison for a long time," Fisseha said. In the capital, many construction projects have paused as growth has slowed in what until recently was one of Africa`s fastest expanding economies, leaving tattered sheeting covering skeletons of unfinished buildings. Many voters are more concerned about reviving the economy than democratic reforms. Abiy has promised to bring in foreign investment and speed up electrification by filling a giant $4 billion hydropower dam on the Blue Nile, stoking tension with Egypt and Sudan, which fear the Nile water supplies they rely on might be interrupted. But annual inflation is now about 20% and growth is forecast at just 2% this year after topping 10% before the pandemic. "The cost of living is increasing," said shopkeeper Murad Merga, whose window was adorned with ruling party posters. But he remained upbeat: "Everything will be fixed step by step."

Ethiopians to vote in what government bills as first free election

Ethiopians are voting in crucial parliamentary elections as Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed seeks a mandate to continue reforms launched in 2018. PM Abiy Ahmed has said that the polls are the countries first free and fair elections after decades.

Ethiopians vote in landmark election seen as first big test for PM Abiy Ahmed

Twice delayed, hobbled by the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/coronavirus">coronavirus pandemic</a>, violent insecurity, and planning chaos,&nbsp;Ethiopia's electoral&nbsp;board&nbsp;says it is ready for Monday's crucial&nbsp;vote&nbsp;and assures it will be credible.

"We're actually very&nbsp;confident&nbsp;about it," the National&nbsp;Election&nbsp;Board&nbsp;of&nbsp;Ethiopia&nbsp;(NEBE) spokeswoman Solyana Shimeles told AFP.

It is not optimism shared by all, with serious doubts remaining&nbsp;over&nbsp;the&nbsp;vote&nbsp;Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed promised would be the most competitive yet in Africa's second-most populous nation.

Voting&nbsp;will not proceed on June 21 in about one-fifth of the country's 547 constituencies due to unrest and logistical problems.

Those constituencies will mostly&nbsp;vote&nbsp;in September, but no ballot is scheduled in Tigray, a war-torn region of six million.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/ethiopias-tigray-at-serious-risk-of-famine-90-need-emergency-food-aid-388760">Ethiopia’s Tigray at ‘serious risk of famine, 90% need emergency food aid</a>

In some areas where&nbsp;voting&nbsp;will proceed, opposition boycotts have further undermined claims of inclusivity and competition.

The majority of national parliamentary seats up for grabs in Abiy's native Oromia,&nbsp;the country's most populous region are being contested by a single candidate,&nbsp;election&nbsp;data shows.

Solyana said just three of&nbsp;Ethiopia's 49 registered parties were not contesting the poll, and about 9,500 candidates were running at a national and regional level&nbsp;more than any previous ballot.

"We hope this is going to be a better one, a participatory one, and a credible one," she said.

Setbacks

NEBE was overhauled when Abiy rose to power in 2018 on the back of anti-government protests, vowing to open up political space after years of iron-fisted rule.

The appointment of Birtukan Mideska, a high-profile former judge and exiled opposition leader, to head a revived, independent&nbsp;board&nbsp;was seen as evidence of Abiy's committment to democratic reform.

Nationwide&nbsp;elections&nbsp;were delayed almost year due to the coronavirus pandemic, and rescheduled for June 5.&nbsp;

But organising a smooth&nbsp;election&nbsp;is a tall order at the best of times in&nbsp;Ethiopia, a vast and rugged country of 110 million hamstrung by poor infrastructure.

NEBE lacked resources and needed tens of thousands of staff. The timetable fell behind and a new date was scheduled for June 21.

But problems still linger just days before the&nbsp;vote, observers say.

On Friday, Birtukan wrote to Abiy saying federal assistance with transport and other logistics would be needed to ensure the&nbsp;election&nbsp;went off without a hitch.

"NEBE is working 24 hours in full capacity," she wrote.

One diplomat in Addis Ababa, who asked to remain anonymous, said: "NEBE is committed and willing, but it is challenging. Whether this translates into being ready for sound&nbsp;elections&nbsp;is another matter."

Doubts&nbsp;

Analysts say the logistical problems that have dogged preparations could prove troubling when it comes to counting the ballot.

"The NEBE leadership is trying really hard to do what they can but they're working in a difficult environment and have huge delivery challenges", said an&nbsp;election&nbsp;expert in Addis Ababa who asked to remain anonymous.

The&nbsp;vote&nbsp;will be monitored by five foreign observer missions and thousands of civil society workers. The EU will not send a team after a disagreement with the government&nbsp;over&nbsp;the terms.

And the Ethiopian Humans Rights Commission, a government-affiliated but independent body that has investigated state excesses, was barred from observing the&nbsp;vote.

"Our mandate enables us to deploy and monitor the human rights aspect of the&nbsp;elections," the commission's director of communications Aaron Maasho told AFP, adding talks with NEBE were ongoing.

Endalkachew Girma, a 35-year-old voter in Addis Ababa, recognised NEBE had tried to make this&nbsp;vote&nbsp;fairer.

"But like past ballots, I do not think this&nbsp;election&nbsp;will be historic or credible" he told AFP.

Twice delayed, hobbled by the coronavirus pandemic, violent insecurity, and planning chaos, Ethiopia's electoral board says it is ready for Monday's crucial vote and assures it will be credible.

Twice delayed, hobbled by the coronavirus pandemic, violent insecurity, and planning chaos, Ethiopia's electoral board says it is ready for Monday's crucial vote and assures it will be credible. "We're actually very confident about it," the National Election Board of Ethiopia (NEBE) spokeswoman Solyana Shimeles told AFP. It is not optimism shared by all, with serious doubts remaining over the vote Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed promised would be the most competitive yet in Africa's second-most populous nation. Voting will not proceed on June 21 in about one-fifth of the country's 547 constituencies due to unrest and logistical problems. Those constituencies will mostly vote in September, but no ballot is scheduled in Tigray, a war-torn region of six million. Also read | Ethiopia’s Tigray at ‘serious risk of famine, 90% need emergency food aid In some areas where voting will proceed, opposition boycotts have further undermined claims of inclusivity and competition. The majority of national parliamentary seats up for grabs in Abiy's native Oromia, the country's most populous region are being contested by a single candidate, election data shows. Solyana said just three of Ethiopia's 49 registered parties were not contesting the poll, and about 9,500 candidates were running at a national and regional level more than any previous ballot. "We hope this is going to be a better one, a participatory one, and a credible one," she said. Setbacks NEBE was overhauled when Abiy rose to power in 2018 on the back of anti-government protests, vowing to open up political space after years of iron-fisted rule. The appointment of Birtukan Mideska, a high-profile former judge and exiled opposition leader, to head a revived, independent board was seen as evidence of Abiy's committment to democratic reform. Nationwide elections were delayed almost year due to the coronavirus pandemic, and rescheduled for June 5. But organising a smooth election is a tall order at the best of times in Ethiopia, a vast and rugged country of 110 million hamstrung by poor infrastructure. NEBE lacked resources and needed tens of thousands of staff. The timetable fell behind and a new date was scheduled for June 21. But problems still linger just days before the vote, observers say. On Friday, Birtukan wrote to Abiy saying federal assistance with transport and other logistics would be needed to ensure the election went off without a hitch. "NEBE is working 24 hours in full capacity," she wrote. One diplomat in Addis Ababa, who asked to remain anonymous, said: "NEBE is committed and willing, but it is challenging. Whether this translates into being ready for sound elections is another matter." Doubts Analysts say the logistical problems that have dogged preparations could prove troubling when it comes to counting the ballot. "The NEBE leadership is trying really hard to do what they can but they're working in a difficult environment and have huge delivery challenges", said an election expert in Addis Ababa who asked to remain anonymous. The vote will be monitored by five foreign observer missions and thousands of civil society workers. The EU will not send a team after a disagreement with the government over the terms. And the Ethiopian Humans Rights Commission, a government-affiliated but independent body that has investigated state excesses, was barred from observing the vote. "Our mandate enables us to deploy and monitor the human rights aspect of the elections," the commission's director of communications Aaron Maasho told AFP, adding talks with NEBE were ongoing. Endalkachew Girma, a 35-year-old voter in Addis Ababa, recognised NEBE had tried to make this vote fairer. "But like past ballots, I do not think this election will be historic or credible" he told AFP.

Ethiopia's election board 'confident' despite worry over vote

The UK announced a further 16.7 million pounds in aid for Ethiopia, and called on “the Council’s members to come together and to urge with one voice for immediate ceasefire and access to humanitarian aid.”

Speaking to reporters on June 15,&nbsp;in New York, British Ambassador Barbara Woodward said, “ the UK is confident in the reliability of the data that has been presented by the UN. It is clear that food, agricultural tools, and life stocks are being destroyed.”

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/ethiopia-researchers-identify-1900-people-killed-in-tigray-375006">Also Read |&nbsp;Ethiopia: Researchers identify 1,900 people killed in Tigray</a>

She added, “as a result, 350,000 people in&nbsp;Tigray&nbsp;are facing hunger on a scale not seen since the famine in Somalia, and many more millions more face food insecurity, exacerbated by disrupted plunting.”

Also Watch |&nbsp;People face horrific situation in Ethiopia’s Tigray

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The further 16.7 million pounds in aid, brings to a total of 47.7 million pounds since the conflict begin eight months ago.

The UK Ambassador also said, “without a ceasefire, this can be a manmade famine. It is not drought or locust that is causing this hunger, but the decisions of those in power. That means those in power could also end the suffering.”

She continued, “we were told in March that the Eritrean forces will be withdrawing, it is now June, there can be no further delay.

Farmers have been not able to plant for next year’s corps due to the violence, the window for them to do so is about to close, and while the violence continues, it is not only condemning the people of&nbsp;Tigray&nbsp;to desperate hunger this year but next year too.

The UK Ambassador reiterated, “the solution is clear – a ceasefire, humanitarian access, and political dialogue.”

The UK announced a further 16.7 million pounds in aid for Ethiopia, and called on “the Council’s members to come together and to urge with one voice for immediate ceasefire and access to humanitarian aid.

The UK announced a further 16.7 million pounds in aid for Ethiopia, and called on “the Council’s members to come together and to urge with one voice for immediate ceasefire and access to humanitarian aid.” Speaking to reporters on June 15, in New York, British Ambassador Barbara Woodward said, “ the UK is confident in the reliability of the data that has been presented by the UN. It is clear that food, agricultural tools, and life stocks are being destroyed.” Also Read | Ethiopia: Researchers identify 1,900 people killed in Tigray She added, “as a result, 350,000 people in Tigray are facing hunger on a scale not seen since the famine in Somalia, and many more millions more face food insecurity, exacerbated by disrupted plunting.” Also Watch | People face horrific situation in Ethiopia’s Tigray The further 16.7 million pounds in aid, brings to a total of 47.7 million pounds since the conflict begin eight months ago. The UK Ambassador also said, “without a ceasefire, this can be a manmade famine. It is not drought or locust that is causing this hunger, but the decisions of those in power. That means those in power could also end the suffering.” She continued, “we were told in March that the Eritrean forces will be withdrawing, it is now June, there can be no further delay. Farmers have been not able to plant for next year’s corps due to the violence, the window for them to do so is about to close, and while the violence continues, it is not only condemning the people of Tigray to desperate hunger this year but next year too. The UK Ambassador reiterated, “the solution is clear – a ceasefire, humanitarian access, and political dialogue.”

UK announces further aid for Ethiopia

Arab states are calling on the UN&nbsp;Security Council to discuss the dispute over&nbsp;Ethiopia's plan to fill a giant dam it is building on the Blue Nile, Arab League Secretary-General Ahmed Aboul Gheit said on Tuesday after a foreign ministers' meeting.

Ethiopia&nbsp;is pinning its hopes of economic development and power generation on the dam. Egypt relies on the river for as much as 90 per cent&nbsp;of its fresh water and sees the dam as an existential threat. Sudan is concerned about the operation of its own Nile dams and water stations.

The ministers, meeting in Qatar, agreed on "steps to be taken gradually" to support Egypt and Sudan in the dispute, Qatari Foreign Minister Mohammed Bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani told a news conference, without giving details.

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The Arab states called on&nbsp;Ethiopia&nbsp;to negotiate "in good faith" and refrain from any unilateral steps that would harm Egypt and Sudan.

Such steps included completing the second phase of filling the dam's reservoir in the rainy season this year without an agreement on filling and operating the dam, the Arab League said in a statement.

Ethiopia&nbsp;rejected the Arab League resolution in its entirety, its Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

The country previously rejected calls from Egypt and Sudan to involve mediators outside the African Union.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/sudan-warns-of-legal-action-against-ethiopia-over-dam-379743">Sudan warns of legal action against Ethiopia over dam</a>

Sudan and Egypt had already agreed this month to work together on all levels to push&nbsp;Ethiopia&nbsp;to negotiate "seriously" on an agreement after African Union-sponsored talks remained deadlocked.

The two countries downstream from the Grand&nbsp;Ethiopian Renaissance Dam called on the international community to intervene. Aboul Gheit described the water security of Egypt and Sudan as an integral part of Arab national security.

Sudan said on Monday it was open to a partial interim agreement on the multibillion-dollar dam, with specific conditions.

Tuesday's meeting was the first such gathering of Arab states that Qatar has hosted since Saudi Arabia and its allies imposed a boycott on Doha in mid-2017 over accusations that Qatar supported terrorism, a charge it denies.

Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain and Egypt agreed in January to restore diplomatic, trade and travel ties with Doha.

Arab states are calling on the UN Security Council to discuss the dispute over Ethiopia's plan to fill a giant dam it is building on the Blue Nile, Arab League Secretary-General Ahmed Aboul Gheit said on Tuesday after a foreign ministers' meeting.

Arab states are calling on the UN Security Council to discuss the dispute over Ethiopia's plan to fill a giant dam it is building on the Blue Nile, Arab League Secretary-General Ahmed Aboul Gheit said on Tuesday after a foreign ministers' meeting. Ethiopia is pinning its hopes of economic development and power generation on the dam. Egypt relies on the river for as much as 90 per cent of its fresh water and sees the dam as an existential threat. Sudan is concerned about the operation of its own Nile dams and water stations. The ministers, meeting in Qatar, agreed on "steps to be taken gradually" to support Egypt and Sudan in the dispute, Qatari Foreign Minister Mohammed Bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani told a news conference, without giving details. The Arab states called on Ethiopia to negotiate "in good faith" and refrain from any unilateral steps that would harm Egypt and Sudan. Such steps included completing the second phase of filling the dam's reservoir in the rainy season this year without an agreement on filling and operating the dam, the Arab League said in a statement. Ethiopia rejected the Arab League resolution in its entirety, its Foreign Ministry said in a statement. The country previously rejected calls from Egypt and Sudan to involve mediators outside the African Union. Also read | Sudan warns of legal action against Ethiopia over dam Sudan and Egypt had already agreed this month to work together on all levels to push Ethiopia to negotiate "seriously" on an agreement after African Union-sponsored talks remained deadlocked. The two countries downstream from the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam called on the international community to intervene. Aboul Gheit described the water security of Egypt and Sudan as an integral part of Arab national security. Sudan said on Monday it was open to a partial interim agreement on the multibillion-dollar dam, with specific conditions. Tuesday's meeting was the first such gathering of Arab states that Qatar has hosted since Saudi Arabia and its allies imposed a boycott on Doha in mid-2017 over accusations that Qatar supported terrorism, a charge it denies. Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain and Egypt agreed in January to restore diplomatic, trade and travel ties with Doha.

Arab states call on UN Security Council to meet over controversial Ethiopian dam on Blue Nile

More than 350,000 people in&nbsp;Ethiopia's Tigray are suffering famine conditions, with millions more at risk, according to an analysis by United Nations agencies and aid groups that blamed conflict for the worst catastrophic food crisis in a decade.

"There is famine now in Tigray," UN&nbsp;aid chief Mark Lowcock said on Thursday after the release of the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) analysis, which the IPC noted has not been endorsed by the&nbsp;Ethiopian government.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/ethiopias-tigray-at-serious-risk-of-famine-90-need-emergency-food-aid-388760">Ethiopia’s Tigray at ‘serious risk of famine, 90% need emergency food aid</a>

"The number of people in famine conditions ... is higher than anywhere in the world, at any moment since a quarter million Somalis lost their lives in 2011," Lowcock said.

Most of the 5.5 million people in Tigray need food aid. Fighting broke out in the region in November between government troops and the region's former ruling party, the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF). Troops from neighbouring Eritrea also entered the conflict to support the&nbsp;Ethiopian government.

The violence has killed thousands of civilians and forced more than 2 million from their homes in the mountainous region.

The most extreme warning by the IPC - a scale used by UN&nbsp;agencies, regional bodies and aid groups to determine food insecurity - is phase 5, which starts with a catastrophe warning and rises to a declaration of famine in a region.

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/people-face-horrific-situation-in-ethiopias-tigray-389967/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

The IPC said more than 350,000 people in Tigray are in phase 5 catastrophe. That means households are experiencing famine conditions, but less than 20 per cent of the population is affected and deaths and malnutrition have not reached famine thresholds.

"This severe crisis results from the cascading effects of conflict, including population displacements, movement restrictions, limited humanitarian access, loss of harvest and livelihood assets, and dysfunctional or non-existent markets," the IPC analysis found.

The&nbsp;Ethiopian government disputed the IPC analysis, saying food shortages are not severe and aid is being delivered.

Ethiopian Foreign Ministry spokesman Dina Mufti told a news conference on Thursday that the government was providing food aid and help to farmers in Tigray.

"They (diplomats) are comparing it with the 1984, 1985 famine in&nbsp;Ethiopia," he said. "That is not going to happen."

The United States and the European Union, in a joint statement, called for an immediate ceasefire, the withdrawal of Eritrean troops, and humanitarian access to Tigray. It warned that the crisis threatened to destabilize the broader Horn of Africa region.

'Have to Act Now'

For famine to be declared, at least 20 per cent of the population must be suffering extreme food shortages, with one in three children acutely malnourished and two people out of every 10,000 dying daily from starvation or from malnutrition and disease.

Famine has been declared twice in the past decade: in Somalia in 2011 and in parts of South Sudan in 2017.

"If the conflict further escalates or, for any other reason, humanitarian assistance is hampered, most areas of Tigray will be at risk of famine," according to the IPC, which added that even if aid deliveries are stepped up, the situation is expected to worsen through September.

US&nbsp;Ambassador to the United Nations Linda Thomas-Greenfield said a humanitarian nightmare was unfolding.

"This is not the kind of disaster that can be reversed," she told a US&nbsp;and EU event on Tigray on Thursday. Referring to a previous famine in&nbsp;Ethiopia&nbsp;that killed more than 1 million people, she said: "We cannot make the same mistake twice. We cannot let&nbsp;Ethiopia&nbsp;starve. We have to act now."

World Food Programme Executive Director David Beasley said that to stop hunger from killing millions of people in Tigray, there needed to be a ceasefire, unimpeded aid access and more money to expand aid operations.

According to notes of a meeting of UN&nbsp;agencies on Monday, seen by Reuters, the IPC analysis could be worse as "they did not include those in Amhara-controlled areas" in western Tigray.

Mitiku Kassa, head of&nbsp;Ethiopia's National Disaster Risk Management Commission, said on Wednesday: "We don't have any food shortage."

More than 350,000 people in Ethiopia's Tigray are suffering famine conditions, with millions more at risk, according to an analysis by United Nations agencies and aid groups that blamed conflict for the worst catastrophic food crisis in a decade.

More than 350,000 people in Ethiopia's Tigray are suffering famine conditions, with millions more at risk, according to an analysis by United Nations agencies and aid groups that blamed conflict for the worst catastrophic food crisis in a decade. "There is famine now in Tigray," UN aid chief Mark Lowcock said on Thursday after the release of the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) analysis, which the IPC noted has not been endorsed by the Ethiopian government. Also read | Ethiopia’s Tigray at ‘serious risk of famine, 90% need emergency food aid "The number of people in famine conditions ... is higher than anywhere in the world, at any moment since a quarter million Somalis lost their lives in 2011," Lowcock said. Most of the 5.5 million people in Tigray need food aid. Fighting broke out in the region in November between government troops and the region's former ruling party, the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF). Troops from neighbouring Eritrea also entered the conflict to support the Ethiopian government. The violence has killed thousands of civilians and forced more than 2 million from their homes in the mountainous region. The most extreme warning by the IPC - a scale used by UN agencies, regional bodies and aid groups to determine food insecurity - is phase 5, which starts with a catastrophe warning and rises to a declaration of famine in a region. The IPC said more than 350,000 people in Tigray are in phase 5 catastrophe. That means households are experiencing famine conditions, but less than 20 per cent of the population is affected and deaths and malnutrition have not reached famine thresholds. "This severe crisis results from the cascading effects of conflict, including population displacements, movement restrictions, limited humanitarian access, loss of harvest and livelihood assets, and dysfunctional or non-existent markets," the IPC analysis found. The Ethiopian government disputed the IPC analysis, saying food shortages are not severe and aid is being delivered. Ethiopian Foreign Ministry spokesman Dina Mufti told a news conference on Thursday that the government was providing food aid and help to farmers in Tigray. "They (diplomats) are comparing it with the 1984, 1985 famine in Ethiopia," he said. "That is not going to happen." The United States and the European Union, in a joint statement, called for an immediate ceasefire, the withdrawal of Eritrean troops, and humanitarian access to Tigray. It warned that the crisis threatened to destabilize the broader Horn of Africa region. 'Have to Act Now' For famine to be declared, at least 20 per cent of the population must be suffering extreme food shortages, with one in three children acutely malnourished and two people out of every 10,000 dying daily from starvation or from malnutrition and disease. Famine has been declared twice in the past decade: in Somalia in 2011 and in parts of South Sudan in 2017. "If the conflict further escalates or, for any other reason, humanitarian assistance is hampered, most areas of Tigray will be at risk of famine," according to the IPC, which added that even if aid deliveries are stepped up, the situation is expected to worsen through September. US Ambassador to the United Nations Linda Thomas-Greenfield said a humanitarian nightmare was unfolding. "This is not the kind of disaster that can be reversed," she told a US and EU event on Tigray on Thursday. Referring to a previous famine in Ethiopia that killed more than 1 million people, she said: "We cannot make the same mistake twice. We cannot let Ethiopia starve. We have to act now." World Food Programme Executive Director David Beasley said that to stop hunger from killing millions of people in Tigray, there needed to be a ceasefire, unimpeded aid access and more money to expand aid operations. According to notes of a meeting of UN agencies on Monday, seen by Reuters, the IPC analysis could be worse as "they did not include those in Amhara-controlled areas" in western Tigray. Mitiku Kassa, head of Ethiopia's National Disaster Risk Management Commission, said on Wednesday: "We don't have any food shortage."

UN analysis: About 350,000 people in Ethiopia's Tigray in famine

Hundreds of thousands of people have been displaced from their homes, including more than 60,000 who fled into Sudan.

People face horrific situation in Ethiopia’s Tigray

Ethiopia's war-hit Tigray region is facing emergency food insecurity and this condition can pose a serious risk of famine if assistance is not scaled up in the next two months, senior UN officials have warned.

Ethiopia's Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed sent troops into Tigray in early November to disarm and detain leaders of the regional ruling party, the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF). The move came in response to TPLF attacks on federal army camps. More than six months later, the fighting and abuses continue in Tigray, where the spectre of famine has been hovering for several months.

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Over 90 per cent of people in Ethiopia's troubled northern Tigray region need emergency food aid, the United Nations said Tuesday, as it appealed for $203 million to scale up its response.

"A total of 5.2 million people, equivalent to 91 per cent of Tigray's population, need emergency food assistance due to the conflict," World Food Programme (WFP) spokesman Tomson Phiri said in Geneva.

The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) has delivered 315,000 emergency nutrition rations to children and women since February in 31 woredas. In May, WFP reached almost 100,000 children and pregnant or nursing women in all zones except for Western.

WFP is responsible for emergency food assistance across Northwestern and Southern zones of Tigray.

The U.N. official estimated that "over 90% of the harvest was lost due to looting, burning, or other destruction, and that 80% of the livestock in the region were looted or slaughtered."

(With inputs from agencies)

Ethiopia's war-hit Tigray region is facing emergency food insecurity and this condition can pose a serious risk of famine if assistance is not scaled up in the next two months, senior UN officials have warned.

Ethiopia's war-hit Tigray region is facing emergency food insecurity and this condition can pose a serious risk of famine if assistance is not scaled up in the next two months, senior UN officials have warned. Ethiopia's Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed sent troops into Tigray in early November to disarm and detain leaders of the regional ruling party, the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF). The move came in response to TPLF attacks on federal army camps. More than six months later, the fighting and abuses continue in Tigray, where the spectre of famine has been hovering for several months. A total of 5.2 million people, 91 percent of Tigray’s population, need emergency food assistance due to conflict since last November. × Over 90 per cent of people in Ethiopia's troubled northern Tigray region need emergency food aid, the United Nations said Tuesday, as it appealed for $203 million to scale up its response. "A total of 5.2 million people, equivalent to 91 per cent of Tigray's population, need emergency food assistance due to the conflict," World Food Programme (WFP) spokesman Tomson Phiri said in Geneva. The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) has delivered 315,000 emergency nutrition rations to children and women since February in 31 woredas. In May, WFP reached almost 100,000 children and pregnant or nursing women in all zones except for Western. WFP is responsible for emergency food assistance across Northwestern and Southern zones of Tigray. The U.N. official estimated that "over 90% of the harvest was lost due to looting, burning, or other destruction, and that 80% of the livestock in the region were looted or slaughtered." (With inputs from agencies)

Ethiopia’s Tigray at ‘serious risk of famine, 90% need emergency food aid

Ethiopia staged a massive rally on Sunday in Addis Ababa to rail against the United States imposing restrictions on economic and security assistance over the conflict in the Tigray region.

Ethiopia protests against US over Tigray restrictions

Ethiopian pro-government demonstrators denounced the United States on Sunday for imposing restrictions on aid over the Tigray conflict, at a massive rally organised by the authorities to show support for their positions.

More than 10,000 people attended the rally, some carrying banners written in English, Arabic and Amharic. Slogans included: "USA show us your neutrality", "Ethiopia doesn't need a caretaker", and "Fill the dam", a reference to a huge Nile dam opposed by Egypt and Sudan.

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/ethiopia-rejects-us-allegations-of-ethnic-cleansing-in-tigray-370232">Ethiopia rejects US allegations of ethnic cleansing in Tigray</a>&nbsp;

The demonstration was larger than typical pro-government rallies, and the public criticism of the United States was rare.

Ethiopia is facing increasing international pressure over the conflict in Tigray, where it and neighbouring Eritrea sent troops last year to oust the regional authorities.

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/un-alarmed-at-soldiers-detaining-displaced-from-tigray-camps-388006">UN alarmed at soldiers detaining displaced from Tigray camps</a>

A week ago, the United States imposed restrictions on economic and security assistance to Ethiopia over the conflict. Washington also said it would bar current or former Ethiopian or Eritrean officials it deems responsible for the crisis.

The filling of the $4 billion Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam has also sparked international disputes. Ethiopia says the dam's electricity is needed to develop its economy; Sudan and Egypt say it violates their rights to the Nile waters down river.

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/egypt-ethiopia-sudan-trade-blame-as-nile-dam-talks-fail-375849">Egypt, Ethiopia, Sudan trade blame as Nile dam talks fail</a>

"We will never kneel down. The preconditions and travel restrictions by the US&nbsp;and its allies are completely unacceptable. It needs to be corrected," Adanech Abebe, mayor of Addis Ababa, told the rally organised by the Ministry of Youth.

Nejash Sheba, a 23-year old Addis Ababa trader and member of Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed's Prosperity Party, told Reuters he had been told by local officials to organise people in his area, and had brought 100 others with him to the rally.

"I came here to show my support to Prosperity Party and to denounce the restrictions put on Ethiopia by America."

Ethiopian pro-government demonstrators denounced the United States on Sunday for imposing restrictions on aid over the Tigray conflict, at a massive rally organised by the authorities to show support for their positions.

Ethiopian pro-government demonstrators denounced the United States on Sunday for imposing restrictions on aid over the Tigray conflict, at a massive rally organised by the authorities to show support for their positions. More than 10,000 people attended the rally, some carrying banners written in English, Arabic and Amharic. Slogans included: "USA show us your neutrality", "Ethiopia doesn't need a caretaker", and "Fill the dam", a reference to a huge Nile dam opposed by Egypt and Sudan. Also Read | Ethiopia rejects US allegations of ethnic cleansing in Tigray The demonstration was larger than typical pro-government rallies, and the public criticism of the United States was rare. Ethiopia is facing increasing international pressure over the conflict in Tigray, where it and neighbouring Eritrea sent troops last year to oust the regional authorities. Also Read | UN alarmed at soldiers detaining displaced from Tigray camps A week ago, the United States imposed restrictions on economic and security assistance to Ethiopia over the conflict. Washington also said it would bar current or former Ethiopian or Eritrean officials it deems responsible for the crisis. The filling of the $4 billion Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam has also sparked international disputes. Ethiopia says the dam's electricity is needed to develop its economy; Sudan and Egypt say it violates their rights to the Nile waters down river. Also Read | Egypt, Ethiopia, Sudan trade blame as Nile dam talks fail "We will never kneel down. The preconditions and travel restrictions by the US and its allies are completely unacceptable. It needs to be corrected," Adanech Abebe, mayor of Addis Ababa, told the rally organised by the Ministry of Youth. Nejash Sheba, a 23-year old Addis Ababa trader and member of Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed's Prosperity Party, told Reuters he had been told by local officials to organise people in his area, and had brought 100 others with him to the rally. "I came here to show my support to Prosperity Party and to denounce the restrictions put on Ethiopia by America."

Ethiopians criticise United States at pro-government rally

The United Nations refugee agency voiced deep concern on Friday at reports of soldiers taking hundreds of people away from displacement camps in the Tigray region of Ethiopia earlier this week, saying such sites should be a safe haven. 
 
Three aid workers and a doctor told Reuters this week that Eritrean and Ethiopian soldiers forcibly detained more than 500 young men and women from four camps for displaced people in the town of Shire in the northern region on Monday night. 
 
"We reiterate our call on all parties to ensure the protection of civilians including the forcibly displaced. It is crucial that all parties to the conflict recognise the civilian and humanitarian character of the displacement sites," Babar Baloch, spokesman of the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), told a Geneva news briefing. 
 
Some had been released after UNHCR raised the matter with Ethiopian authorities, he said, providing no figure. 
 
"The situation is traumatic and distressing not only for the relatives of the missing but for all the displaced communities residing in Shire," he added. 
 
It was not immediately clear where the remaining youth were being detained, he added. 
 
Thousands of people have been killed since the conflict erupted, 2 million have been forced from their homes and 91% of the population of nearly 6 million are in need of aid, according to the latest report by the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.

The United Nations refugee agency voiced deep concern on Friday at reports of soldiers taking hundreds of people away from displacement camps in the Tigray region of Ethiopia earlier this week, saying such sites should be a safe haven.

The United Nations refugee agency voiced deep concern on Friday at reports of soldiers taking hundreds of people away from displacement camps in the Tigray region of Ethiopia earlier this week, saying such sites should be a safe haven. Three aid workers and a doctor told Reuters this week that Eritrean and Ethiopian soldiers forcibly detained more than 500 young men and women from four camps for displaced people in the town of Shire in the northern region on Monday night. "We reiterate our call on all parties to ensure the protection of civilians including the forcibly displaced. It is crucial that all parties to the conflict recognise the civilian and humanitarian character of the displacement sites," Babar Baloch, spokesman of the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), told a Geneva news briefing. Some had been released after UNHCR raised the matter with Ethiopian authorities, he said, providing no figure. "The situation is traumatic and distressing not only for the relatives of the missing but for all the displaced communities residing in Shire," he added. It was not immediately clear where the remaining youth were being detained, he added. Thousands of people have been killed since the conflict erupted, 2 million have been forced from their homes and 91% of the population of nearly 6 million are in need of aid, according to the latest report by the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.

UN alarmed at soldiers detaining displaced from Tigray camps

The United Nations said on Sunday that around 120 peacekeepers from Ethiopia were seeking asylum in Sudan. Several regions in Ethiopia including Tigray are hit by inter-ethnic conflict.

The personnel were due to be repatriated on the back of the phased withdrawal of the UN peacekeeping mission, UNAMID, from western Sudan's Darfur region after its mandate ended on December 31.&nbsp;

"As of now, 120 former UNAMID peacekeepers who were due to be repatriated have sought international protection," a UN peacekeeping spokesperson told AFP via email.

The UN refugee agency, UNHCR, also confirmed the former peacekeepers have applied for asylum in Sudan.

They "will be taken to a location where they can be safely undertaken for their refugee status to be determined," it said without elaborating, due to "protection purposes".

It wasn't immediately clear whether all former peacekeepers who sought asylum were from Tigray region.

Conflict in Tigray broke out last November between federal forces of Ethiopia and leaders of the region's ruling party. The conflict has left thousands dead.

The fighting sent some 60,000 refugees fleeing into neighbouring Sudan, a nation struggling with economic woes and a rocky transition since the April 2019 ouster of strongman Omar al-Bashir.

Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, winner of the 2019 Nobel Peace Prize, is also grappling with ethnic violence in other regions including Amhara, Oromia and Benishangul-Gumuz.

(With inputs from agencies)

The United Nations said on Sunday that around 120 peacekeepers from Ethiopia were seeking asylum in Sudan. Several regions in Ethiopia including Tigray are hit by inter-ethnic conflict.

The United Nations said on Sunday that around 120 peacekeepers from Ethiopia were seeking asylum in Sudan. Several regions in Ethiopia including Tigray are hit by inter-ethnic conflict. The personnel were due to be repatriated on the back of the phased withdrawal of the UN peacekeeping mission, UNAMID, from western Sudan's Darfur region after its mandate ended on December 31. "As of now, 120 former UNAMID peacekeepers who were due to be repatriated have sought international protection," a UN peacekeeping spokesperson told AFP via email. The UN refugee agency, UNHCR, also confirmed the former peacekeepers have applied for asylum in Sudan. They "will be taken to a location where they can be safely undertaken for their refugee status to be determined," it said without elaborating, due to "protection purposes". It wasn't immediately clear whether all former peacekeepers who sought asylum were from Tigray region. Conflict in Tigray broke out last November between federal forces of Ethiopia and leaders of the region's ruling party. The conflict has left thousands dead. The fighting sent some 60,000 refugees fleeing into neighbouring Sudan, a nation struggling with economic woes and a rocky transition since the April 2019 ouster of strongman Omar al-Bashir. Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, winner of the 2019 Nobel Peace Prize, is also grappling with ethnic violence in other regions including Amhara, Oromia and Benishangul-Gumuz. (With inputs from agencies)

More than hundred Ethiopia ex-peacekeepers seek asylum in Sudan, says UN

The head of Ethiopia's Orthodox Church has said that atrocities amounting to genocide are being committed in Tigray, in his first comments on the conflict in the region that broke out in November and has killed thousands.

Abune Mathias, who has been head of the church since 2013, did not say who was responsible for this. He spoke in a video message that was posted on Twitter on Friday by an American religious charity worker.

Watch |&nbsp;

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/food-water-shelter-for-children-remains-a-challenge-in-tigray-382903/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

Dennis Wadley, who heads a US-based church group called Bridge of Hope International, said Abune Mathias had asked him to post the video. "He wanted the world to know the truth regarding what was happening in Tigray," Wadley told Reuters.

Fighting erupted in early November in Tigray between federal forces and the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF), a party that dominated the national government until three years ago. The government declared victory at the end of November and says the region is returning to normal. Aid groups say many parts of Tigray remain unreachable due to ongoing conflict.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="G7 effect: Ethiopia says Eritrean troops have 'started to evacuate' Tigray">G7 effect: Ethiopia says Eritrean troops have 'started to evacuate' Tigray</a>

The video begins with Abune Mathias addressing all Ethiopians and the international community.

"Nowadays, all over Ethiopia in general and in Tigray in particular, many barbarisms have been conducted," he said.

Later in the video, he said: "Genocide is being committed now," before describing alleged atrocities such as the raping of women and the bombing and other types of destruction of churches.

The head of a government taskforce on Tigray, Redwan Hussein, did not respond to a request for comment about the video on Saturday.

Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed's government has said in the past it is dismayed by the deaths of civilians in the war and that it is committed to investigating all alleged abuses and bringing perpetrators to justice.

Abune Mathias, who is ethnic Tigrayan and is based in Addis Ababa, said in the video that he has been prevented from speaking out about atrocities. He did not specify who prevented him from speaking out.

Wadley said he had recorded the video on his phone during a visit to Ethiopia. "Abune Mathias did not write this out or prepare. He sat for about 10 seconds in silence and then spoke for just over 14 minutes as you can see in the video. It was from his heart in a single take with no editing."

Wadley said Abune Mathias asked him to post the video when he returned to the United States.

It was not possible to contact Abune Mathias on Saturday or Sunday. A member of the patriarch's communications office told Reuters on Saturday that he had not seen the video, and did not respond to subsequent phone calls requesting comment.

Since the outbreak of war in Tigray, Abiy has faced calls including from U.S. President Joe Biden's administration to end hostilities there and protect civilians.

In February, the Ethiopian foreign ministry said that the government takes its responsibility for the safety, security, and well-being of all citizens very seriously and is "fully committed to undertake thorough investigations" into alleged abuses and bring perpetrators to justice.

It added the government had a duty to hold the nation together in the face of "treasonous and divisive forces."

The head of Ethiopia's Orthodox Church has said that atrocities amounting to genocide are being committed in Tigray, in his first comments on the conflict in the region that broke out in November and has killed thousands.

The head of Ethiopia's Orthodox Church has said that atrocities amounting to genocide are being committed in Tigray, in his first comments on the conflict in the region that broke out in November and has killed thousands. Abune Mathias, who has been head of the church since 2013, did not say who was responsible for this. He spoke in a video message that was posted on Twitter on Friday by an American religious charity worker. Watch | Dennis Wadley, who heads a US-based church group called Bridge of Hope International, said Abune Mathias had asked him to post the video. "He wanted the world to know the truth regarding what was happening in Tigray," Wadley told Reuters. Fighting erupted in early November in Tigray between federal forces and the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF), a party that dominated the national government until three years ago. The government declared victory at the end of November and says the region is returning to normal. Aid groups say many parts of Tigray remain unreachable due to ongoing conflict. Also read | G7 effect: Ethiopia says Eritrean troops have 'started to evacuate' Tigray The video begins with Abune Mathias addressing all Ethiopians and the international community. "Nowadays, all over Ethiopia in general and in Tigray in particular, many barbarisms have been conducted," he said. Later in the video, he said: "Genocide is being committed now," before describing alleged atrocities such as the raping of women and the bombing and other types of destruction of churches. The head of a government taskforce on Tigray, Redwan Hussein, did not respond to a request for comment about the video on Saturday. Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed's government has said in the past it is dismayed by the deaths of civilians in the war and that it is committed to investigating all alleged abuses and bringing perpetrators to justice. Abune Mathias, who is ethnic Tigrayan and is based in Addis Ababa, said in the video that he has been prevented from speaking out about atrocities. He did not specify who prevented him from speaking out. Wadley said he had recorded the video on his phone during a visit to Ethiopia. "Abune Mathias did not write this out or prepare. He sat for about 10 seconds in silence and then spoke for just over 14 minutes as you can see in the video. It was from his heart in a single take with no editing." Wadley said Abune Mathias asked him to post the video when he returned to the United States. It was not possible to contact Abune Mathias on Saturday or Sunday. A member of the patriarch's communications office told Reuters on Saturday that he had not seen the video, and did not respond to subsequent phone calls requesting comment. Since the outbreak of war in Tigray, Abiy has faced calls including from U.S. President Joe Biden's administration to end hostilities there and protect civilians. In February, the Ethiopian foreign ministry said that the government takes its responsibility for the safety, security, and well-being of all citizens very seriously and is "fully committed to undertake thorough investigations" into alleged abuses and bring perpetrators to justice. It added the government had a duty to hold the nation together in the face of "treasonous and divisive forces."

Ethiopian Orthodox Church head says genocide is taking place in Tigray

Unrest and violence in the Tigray region in Ethiopia has left more than 1.7 million people, including children homeless. Thousands of children have either been separated from their parents or have lost them to war. WION brings you a report on how children in Tigray are having to become victims of a political war.

Food, water, shelter for children remains a challenge in Tigray

Sudan&nbsp;warned Friday it could take legal action against Ethiopia if it goes ahead with plans to fill a mega-dam on the Blue Nile without a deal with Khartoum and Cairo.

Water Minister Yasser Abbas also said in a tweet that Ethiopia has raised "objections" to an invitation by&nbsp;Sudan&nbsp;to attend three-way talks to discuss the controversial dam.

Egypt,&nbsp;Sudan, and Ethiopia have been locked in inconclusive talks for nearly a decade over the filling and operation of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) which broke ground in 2011.&nbsp;Cairo has regarded the dam as an existential threat to its water supplies, while Khartoum fears its own dams would be harmed if Ethiopia fills the reservoir without a deal.

Last week,&nbsp;Sudan's Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok invited his Egyptian and Ethiopian counterparts to a closed meeting after recent African Union-sponsored negotiations failed to produce a deal. Ethiopia has objected to the invitation of Sudanese prime minister Abdalla Hamdok for a three-way summit and we see that there is no justification for that," Abbas tweeted.

Addis Ababa announced last July that it had filled part of the barrage with a second stage due to take place this coming July, even if no agreement has been with Cairo and Khartoum.&nbsp;If Ethiopia goes ahead with the filling,&nbsp;Sudan&nbsp;"would file lawsuits against the Italian company constructing the dam and the Ethiopian government", Abbas warned.&nbsp;He said the lawsuits would highlight that the "environmental and social impact as well as the dangers of the dam" have not been taken into adequate consideration.

The tensions over the dam come as&nbsp;Sudan's relations with Egypt warm while its relations with Ethiopia have been hit by a dispute over the use of the Fashaga farmland near their common border.

In March,&nbsp;Sudan&nbsp;said it has accepted an offer by the United Arab Emirates to mediate with Ethiopia over GERD and the contested border region.&nbsp;

Abbas said the UAE's initiative included investment opportunities in the Fashaga region as well as "unofficial bid to bridge the gap in views with regard to GERD".&nbsp;

Sudan warned Friday it could take legal action against Ethiopia if it goes ahead with plans to fill a mega-dam on the Blue Nile without a deal with Khartoum and Cairo.

Sudan warned Friday it could take legal action against Ethiopia if it goes ahead with plans to fill a mega-dam on the Blue Nile without a deal with Khartoum and Cairo. Water Minister Yasser Abbas also said in a tweet that Ethiopia has raised "objections" to an invitation by Sudan to attend three-way talks to discuss the controversial dam. Egypt, Sudan, and Ethiopia have been locked in inconclusive talks for nearly a decade over the filling and operation of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) which broke ground in 2011. Cairo has regarded the dam as an existential threat to its water supplies, while Khartoum fears its own dams would be harmed if Ethiopia fills the reservoir without a deal. Last week, Sudan's Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok invited his Egyptian and Ethiopian counterparts to a closed meeting after recent African Union-sponsored negotiations failed to produce a deal. Ethiopia has objected to the invitation of Sudanese prime minister Abdalla Hamdok for a three-way summit and we see that there is no justification for that," Abbas tweeted. Addis Ababa announced last July that it had filled part of the barrage with a second stage due to take place this coming July, even if no agreement has been with Cairo and Khartoum. If Ethiopia goes ahead with the filling, Sudan "would file lawsuits against the Italian company constructing the dam and the Ethiopian government", Abbas warned. He said the lawsuits would highlight that the "environmental and social impact as well as the dangers of the dam" have not been taken into adequate consideration. The tensions over the dam come as Sudan's relations with Egypt warm while its relations with Ethiopia have been hit by a dispute over the use of the Fashaga farmland near their common border. In March, Sudan said it has accepted an offer by the United Arab Emirates to mediate with Ethiopia over GERD and the contested border region. Abbas said the UAE's initiative included investment opportunities in the Fashaga region as well as "unofficial bid to bridge the gap in views with regard to GERD".

Sudan warns of legal action against Ethiopia over dam

An armed group has taken control of a county in western Ethiopia, the state-appointed Ethiopian Human Rights Commission said, citing reports that civilians had been killed and public servants kidnapped.

The commission said it had received reports that Sedal Woreda, in the Kamashi Zone of the western Benishangul-Gumuz Region, was "under near full control of an armed group as of April 19". It did not say which armed group it was referring to.The woreda, or county, is home to around 25,000 people, the commission said in the statement issued late on Wednesday.Local officials were not immediately available for comment.

The region is home to the strategically important Great Ethiopian Renaissance Dam, a $4 billion project that Ethiopia says is key to its economic development and power generation but has caused fears in Egypt and Sudan over disruptions in supplies of water from the Nile.

Also Watch&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="Ethiopia declares victory as army takes control over Tigray capital">Ethiopia declares victory as army takes control over Tigray capital</a>

Benishangul-Gumuz has seen a surge of ethnic violence in recent months, including an attack in December that killed more than 200 civilians. The region is home to many ethnic groups, including the Gumuz, Agaws and Shinasas and the Amhara, and has seen increasingly bloody attacks on civilians.

"Residents who have fled the area told EHRC that the armed group has burned down and looted public and private property and that the woreda (county) administration and local police have fled the area. There are also reports that civilians have been killed and public servants have been kidnapped," the commission said in a statement.

"According to residents and officials EHRC spoke to, a small contingent of the regional security force in the vicinity is outnumbered," the commission said. 
Ethiopia is battling to contain multiple outbreaks of ethnic and political violence ahead of national elections in June. 
Violence in a separate area last week killed at least 50 people from Ethiopia`s two largest ethnic groups, the Oromo and Amhara. Residents of Bahir Dar, Amhara`s regional capital, held a fourth day of protests against the killings.

"Over the past three years there has been identity-based attacks, killing and displacement of Amharas. Those who are responsible should be held accountable," said protester Asres Mare.

The regional government-run Amhara Media Corporation also reported protests in the towns of Gondar and Debre Berhan.

An armed group has taken control of a county in western Ethiopia, the state-appointed Ethiopian Human Rights Commission said, citing reports that civilians had been killed and public servants kidnapped.

An armed group has taken control of a county in western Ethiopia, the state-appointed Ethiopian Human Rights Commission said, citing reports that civilians had been killed and public servants kidnapped. The commission said it had received reports that Sedal Woreda, in the Kamashi Zone of the western Benishangul-Gumuz Region, was "under near full control of an armed group as of April 19". It did not say which armed group it was referring to.The woreda, or county, is home to around 25,000 people, the commission said in the statement issued late on Wednesday.Local officials were not immediately available for comment. The region is home to the strategically important Great Ethiopian Renaissance Dam, a $4 billion project that Ethiopia says is key to its economic development and power generation but has caused fears in Egypt and Sudan over disruptions in supplies of water from the Nile. Also Watch | Ethiopia declares victory as army takes control over Tigray capital Benishangul-Gumuz has seen a surge of ethnic violence in recent months, including an attack in December that killed more than 200 civilians. The region is home to many ethnic groups, including the Gumuz, Agaws and Shinasas and the Amhara, and has seen increasingly bloody attacks on civilians. "Residents who have fled the area told EHRC that the armed group has burned down and looted public and private property and that the woreda (county) administration and local police have fled the area. There are also reports that civilians have been killed and public servants have been kidnapped," the commission said in a statement. "According to residents and officials EHRC spoke to, a small contingent of the regional security force in the vicinity is outnumbered," the commission said. Ethiopia is battling to contain multiple outbreaks of ethnic and political violence ahead of national elections in June. Violence in a separate area last week killed at least 50 people from Ethiopia`s two largest ethnic groups, the Oromo and Amhara. Residents of Bahir Dar, Amhara`s regional capital, held a fourth day of protests against the killings. "Over the past three years there has been identity-based attacks, killing and displacement of Amharas. Those who are responsible should be held accountable," said protester Asres Mare. The regional government-run Amhara Media Corporation also reported protests in the towns of Gondar and Debre Berhan.

Armed group takes control of county in western Ethiopia - Rights commission

Armed group takes control of county in western Ethiopia - rights commission

Ethiopia has declared a state of emergency in the southern part of Amhara regional state as violence breaks out in various towns.&nbsp;

Last three days saw deadly armed violence in the town of Ataye and several other areas in Oromia special zones, the Ministry of Defence said in a statement on Sunday.&nbsp;

Ethiopia's military was deploying troops to quell violence between the country's two largest ethnic groups that have left hundreds dead in recent weeks.&nbsp;

The decision underscores persistent insecurity extending beyond Ethiopia's war-hit Tigray region ahead of national elections planned for June.&nbsp;

"A command post has been established in relation to the security problem that has occurred in North Shoa zone and Oromo special zone of Amhara regional state," the military said in a statement. &nbsp;

"The command post will help ensure the supremacy of the law on destructive forces that are disturbing the peace in these areas."&nbsp;

The Amhara region is dominated by the ethnic Amhara group, Ethiopia's second-largest, but the Oromo special zone is populated mainly by Oromos, the numerically dominant group.&nbsp;

Ethiopia's chief ombudsman, Endale Haile, said earlier this month that the violence in Amhara had killed more than 300 people over several days in March.&nbsp;

Jemal Hassen Mohammed, chief administrator of the Jile-Temuga area in the Oromo special zone, said it began March 19 after an ethnic Oromo imam was shot dead outside a mosque, sparking clashes between Amhara security forces and ethnic Oromo civilians.&nbsp;

The Amhara Association of America, a US-based lobbying group, said more than 100 ethnic Amharas had been killed in North Shoa zone by members of the Oromo Liberation Army rebel group.&nbsp;

Further violence has been reported in the area as recently as this weekend, though updated casualty information was not available on Sunday. &nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

Ethiopia has declared a state of emergency in the southern part of Amhara regional state as violence breaks out in various towns. Last three days saw deadly armed violence in the town of Ataye and several other areas in Oromia special zones, the Ministry of Defence said in a statement on Sunday.

Ethiopia has declared a state of emergency in the southern part of Amhara regional state as violence breaks out in various towns. Last three days saw deadly armed violence in the town of Ataye and several other areas in Oromia special zones, the Ministry of Defence said in a statement on Sunday. Ethiopia's military was deploying troops to quell violence between the country's two largest ethnic groups that have left hundreds dead in recent weeks. The decision underscores persistent insecurity extending beyond Ethiopia's war-hit Tigray region ahead of national elections planned for June. "A command post has been established in relation to the security problem that has occurred in North Shoa zone and Oromo special zone of Amhara regional state," the military said in a statement. "The command post will help ensure the supremacy of the law on destructive forces that are disturbing the peace in these areas." The Amhara region is dominated by the ethnic Amhara group, Ethiopia's second-largest, but the Oromo special zone is populated mainly by Oromos, the numerically dominant group. Ethiopia's chief ombudsman, Endale Haile, said earlier this month that the violence in Amhara had killed more than 300 people over several days in March. Jemal Hassen Mohammed, chief administrator of the Jile-Temuga area in the Oromo special zone, said it began March 19 after an ethnic Oromo imam was shot dead outside a mosque, sparking clashes between Amhara security forces and ethnic Oromo civilians. The Amhara Association of America, a US-based lobbying group, said more than 100 ethnic Amharas had been killed in North Shoa zone by members of the Oromo Liberation Army rebel group. Further violence has been reported in the area as recently as this weekend, though updated casualty information was not available on Sunday. (With inputs from agencies)

Ethiopia declares state of emergency in Amhara, deploys troops to quell ethnic violence 

In a letter to the United Nations Security Council, Eritrea agreed to start pulling its troops from Ethiopia’s Tigray region, making its first public admission to having troops in the neighboring country.&nbsp;

On Thursday, UN aid chief Mark Lowcock had told the Security Council that there was no proof Eritrean forces were withdrawing. The development has come in response to this admission. &nbsp;

In the letter posted on Eritrea’s Information Ministry’s website, Eritrea’s UN Ambassador Sophia Tesfamariam, said, “Eritrea and Ethiopia have agreed, at the highest levels, to embark on the withdrawal of Eritrean forces and the simultaneous redeployment of Ethiopian contingents along the international boundary.” Eritrea has not given a timeline for the withdrawal.&nbsp;

Meanwhile, Ethiopia’s prime minister has confirmed that Eritrea agreed to withdraw its forces from the Tigray region, where they had been described to have carried out looting, killing and raping.&nbsp;

The statement by Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s office came after intense pressure from the United States and others to address the deadly crisis in Tigray.&nbsp;

The Ethiopian forces will take over guarding the border areas ‘effective immediately’, the statement added.&nbsp;

Abiy only in the past week has acknowledged the presence of soldiers from Eritrea, long an enemy of the Tigray leaders, who once dominated Ethiopia’s government.&nbsp;

His statement accuses the former Tigray leaders of starting the conflict by attacking Ethiopian forces, then drawing Eritrea into the fighting by firing rockets into Eritrea’s capital. But witnesses have alleged the involvement of Eritrean soldiers from the start of the fighting.&nbsp;

Abiy shocked the region in 2018 by making peace with Eritrea after a long border war in the Tigray region, an achievement for which he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. But since the current Tigray conflict began in November, Abiy has been accused of teaming up with Eritrea to pursue the now-fugitive Tigray leaders.&nbsp;

The US weeks ago demanded that Eritrean soldiers leave Tigray immediately, and pressure increased in recent days with the Joe Biden administration dispatching Sen. Chris Coons to Ethiopia nearly a week ago for hours of talks with Abiy.&nbsp;

No one knows how many thousands of people, especially civilians, have been killed in the Tigray fighting.&nbsp;

Only in recent days has the United Nations Human Rights office said it’s been allowed into the Tigray region in a limited capacity to support investigations into alleged atrocities including mass rapes by Eritrean soldiers and others.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

In a letter to the United Nations Security Council, Eritrea agreed to start pulling its troops from Ethiopia’s Tigray region, making its first public admission to having troops in the neighboring country.

In a letter to the United Nations Security Council, Eritrea agreed to start pulling its troops from Ethiopia’s Tigray region, making its first public admission to having troops in the neighboring country. On Thursday, UN aid chief Mark Lowcock had told the Security Council that there was no proof Eritrean forces were withdrawing. The development has come in response to this admission. In the letter posted on Eritrea’s Information Ministry’s website, Eritrea’s UN Ambassador Sophia Tesfamariam, said, “Eritrea and Ethiopia have agreed, at the highest levels, to embark on the withdrawal of Eritrean forces and the simultaneous redeployment of Ethiopian contingents along the international boundary.” Eritrea has not given a timeline for the withdrawal. Meanwhile, Ethiopia’s prime minister has confirmed that Eritrea agreed to withdraw its forces from the Tigray region, where they had been described to have carried out looting, killing and raping. The statement by Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s office came after intense pressure from the United States and others to address the deadly crisis in Tigray. The Ethiopian forces will take over guarding the border areas ‘effective immediately’, the statement added. Abiy only in the past week has acknowledged the presence of soldiers from Eritrea, long an enemy of the Tigray leaders, who once dominated Ethiopia’s government. His statement accuses the former Tigray leaders of starting the conflict by attacking Ethiopian forces, then drawing Eritrea into the fighting by firing rockets into Eritrea’s capital. But witnesses have alleged the involvement of Eritrean soldiers from the start of the fighting. Abiy shocked the region in 2018 by making peace with Eritrea after a long border war in the Tigray region, an achievement for which he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. But since the current Tigray conflict began in November, Abiy has been accused of teaming up with Eritrea to pursue the now-fugitive Tigray leaders. The US weeks ago demanded that Eritrean soldiers leave Tigray immediately, and pressure increased in recent days with the Joe Biden administration dispatching Sen. Chris Coons to Ethiopia nearly a week ago for hours of talks with Abiy. No one knows how many thousands of people, especially civilians, have been killed in the Tigray fighting. Only in recent days has the United Nations Human Rights office said it’s been allowed into the Tigray region in a limited capacity to support investigations into alleged atrocities including mass rapes by Eritrean soldiers and others. (With inputs from agencies)

In UNSC letter, Eritrea agrees to pull troops out of Tigray in Ethiopia 

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi warned of the risk of conflict over Ethiopia’s dam on the Blue Nile after talks involving the two countries and Sudan ended without progress.

Egypt President Sisi says Ethiopian dam may spark a conflict

Border clashes between&nbsp;Ethiopia's Afar and Somali regions have killed at least 100 people, a regional official said on Tuesday, the latest outbreak of violence ahead of national elections in June.

Around 100 civilians were killed since clashes broke out on Friday and continued through Tuesday, Ahmed Humed, deputy police commissioner for the Afar region, told Reuters by phone. He blamed the violence on an attack by Somali regional forces.

Ali Bedel, a spokesman for the Somali region, said 25 people had been killed on Friday and an “unknown number of civilians” died in a subsequent attack by the same forces on Tuesday.

Both sides deny having initiated the attacks and blame the other for the violence. Reuters could not verify whether the 25 deaths claimed by the Somali official were in addition to the 100 deaths or included in that figure.

Clashes along the border predate the six-month-old conflict in the north that has pitted the federal government against the former ruling party of the Tigray region.

Yet the violence has intensified just as Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s government is trying to assert control over Tigray - underscoring how the 2019 Nobel Peace Prize winner is struggling to keep the country together. The election is regarded as a litmus test for the country’s fragile unity, challenged by many newly resurgent regional and ethnically based parties.

"The Somali region special forces ... attacked the areas of Haruk and Gewane using heavy weapons including machinegun and rocket-propelled grenades. Children and women were killed while they were sleeping," Ahmed said.

In 2014 the boundary between the two states was redrawn by the federal government, then headed by a multi-ethnic ruling coalition, the&nbsp;Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF). Three small towns were transferred to Afar from Somali, which has since tried to win them back.

As a result militias from the two eastern states have clashed before over their disputed boundaries. In October last year 27 people were killed in a wave of clashes over the border, with each side blaming the other.

Border clashes between Ethiopia's Afar and Somali regions have killed at least 100 people, a regional official said on Tuesday, the latest outbreak of violence ahead of national elections in June.

Border clashes between Ethiopia's Afar and Somali regions have killed at least 100 people, a regional official said on Tuesday, the latest outbreak of violence ahead of national elections in June. Around 100 civilians were killed since clashes broke out on Friday and continued through Tuesday, Ahmed Humed, deputy police commissioner for the Afar region, told Reuters by phone. He blamed the violence on an attack by Somali regional forces. Ali Bedel, a spokesman for the Somali region, said 25 people had been killed on Friday and an “unknown number of civilians” died in a subsequent attack by the same forces on Tuesday. Both sides deny having initiated the attacks and blame the other for the violence. Reuters could not verify whether the 25 deaths claimed by the Somali official were in addition to the 100 deaths or included in that figure. Clashes along the border predate the six-month-old conflict in the north that has pitted the federal government against the former ruling party of the Tigray region. Yet the violence has intensified just as Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s government is trying to assert control over Tigray - underscoring how the 2019 Nobel Peace Prize winner is struggling to keep the country together. The election is regarded as a litmus test for the country’s fragile unity, challenged by many newly resurgent regional and ethnically based parties. "The Somali region special forces ... attacked the areas of Haruk and Gewane using heavy weapons including machinegun and rocket-propelled grenades. Children and women were killed while they were sleeping," Ahmed said. In 2014 the boundary between the two states was redrawn by the federal government, then headed by a multi-ethnic ruling coalition, the Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF). Three small towns were transferred to Afar from Somali, which has since tried to win them back. As a result militias from the two eastern states have clashed before over their disputed boundaries. In October last year 27 people were killed in a wave of clashes over the border, with each side blaming the other.

At least 100 killed in border clashes between Ethiopia's Somali and Afar regions: Official

The latest round of talks between Sudan, Egypt and Ethiopia over the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) in Kinshasa have ended with no progress. The meeting of the delegations from three countries were held in Democratic Republic of Congo.

Sudan-Egypt-Ethiopia talks over dam fail in Kinshasa

What started as a political dispute between the central government and the Tigray regional administration turned into a campaign of what the United States government has called "ethnic cleansing" against minority Tigrayans.

Ethiopian refugees recount the horror

Ethiopia on Tuesday accused Egypt and Sudan of obstructing talks on its contested dam on the Nile, which ended with recriminations and little progress.

The Democratic Republic of Congo's President Felix Tshisekedi, as the current chair of the African Union, hosted the talks in the latest bid to ease decade-long tensions over the waters of the world's longest river.

Ethiopia's construction of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD), set to be Africa's largest hydroelectric project, is seen by both downstream countries as a threat to their own water supply.

Ethiopia's foreign ministry, in a statement posted on Twitter, said the meeting failed "due to Egypt and Sudan's rigid stance to make the negotiation and the outcome a tool to affirm their self-claimed water share and foreclose Ethiopia's share."

Ethiopia said talks centred on the role of observers to the mediation — South Africa, the United States and the European Union. Egypt and Sudan want them to have the same role as the AU, which Ethiopia said it does not accept.

"The two countries followed an approach which seeks to undermine the AU-led process," said the statement, adding that Egypt and Sudan had sought to stall and "obstruct the process" by rejecting the draft communique.

The final text, read by DRC foreign minister Marie Tumba Nzeza, simply noted that the meeting had taken place, listed its participants and thanked Tshisekedi for his work.

Ethiopia said it would continue with the second stage of filling the dam's reservoir as scheduled during the upcoming rainy season. The country announced last July it had met its first year filling target, infuriating Egypt and Sudan.

Sudan's foreign minister, Mariam al-Sadiq al-Mahdi, told reporters Tuesday that Ethiopia "threatens the people of the Nile basin, and Sudan directly".

"We hope that President Tshisekedi's judgement will be able to end... these interminable and insufficient negotiations in which the Ethiopian side places everyone before a fait accompli, in a way that clearly violates international law and the principles of good neighbourliness," she said.

'The first step'

Ethiopia says power produced by the GERD will be vital to meet the development needs of its 110 million people.

But the two countries downstream fear their lifeline could be threatened.

"We are talking about taking into account all 250 million souls who live in the three countries and their interests," said al-Mahdi.

The head of a team of DRC experts, David Tshishiku, insisted that the Kinshasa talks were simply the beginning of Tshisekedi's efforts to mediate the tricky dispute.

The negotiations were "the first step, on which President Tshisekedi will set out alternatives and working approaches," he told reporters.

Al-Mahdi warned that "without a new programme (for discussions), Ethiopia has an open road to place the people of the region and the entire African continent in danger".

'Unimaginable instability' 
 
The US ambassador in Kinshasa, Mike Hammer, met during the night on Monday for three hours with the delegation chiefs of the three countries in a bid to push matters forward.

Egypt has said the Kinshasa talks are the last chance to reach an agreement, after President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi said last week that the region faces "unimaginable stability" over the project.

"Nobody will be permitted to take a single drop of Egypt's water," he said.

Egypt, which depends on the Nile for about 97 percent of its irrigation and drinking water, sees the dam as an existential threat.

Sudan, also downstream, fears its own dams will be compromised if Ethiopia proceeds with filling the GERD before a deal is reached.

Ethiopia said in its statement that it expected the meeting to resume around the third week of April.

Ethiopia on Tuesday accused Egypt and Sudan of obstructing talks on its contested dam on the Nile, which ended with recriminations and little progress. The Democratic Republic of Congo's President Felix Tshisekedi, as the current chair of the African Union, hosted the talks in the latest bid to ease decade-long tensions over the waters of the world's longest river.

Ethiopia on Tuesday accused Egypt and Sudan of obstructing talks on its contested dam on the Nile, which ended with recriminations and little progress. The Democratic Republic of Congo's President Felix Tshisekedi, as the current chair of the African Union, hosted the talks in the latest bid to ease decade-long tensions over the waters of the world's longest river. Ethiopia's construction of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD), set to be Africa's largest hydroelectric project, is seen by both downstream countries as a threat to their own water supply. Ethiopia's foreign ministry, in a statement posted on Twitter, said the meeting failed "due to Egypt and Sudan's rigid stance to make the negotiation and the outcome a tool to affirm their self-claimed water share and foreclose Ethiopia's share." Ethiopia said talks centred on the role of observers to the mediation — South Africa, the United States and the European Union. Egypt and Sudan want them to have the same role as the AU, which Ethiopia said it does not accept. "The two countries followed an approach which seeks to undermine the AU-led process," said the statement, adding that Egypt and Sudan had sought to stall and "obstruct the process" by rejecting the draft communique. The final text, read by DRC foreign minister Marie Tumba Nzeza, simply noted that the meeting had taken place, listed its participants and thanked Tshisekedi for his work. Ethiopia said it would continue with the second stage of filling the dam's reservoir as scheduled during the upcoming rainy season. The country announced last July it had met its first year filling target, infuriating Egypt and Sudan. Sudan's foreign minister, Mariam al-Sadiq al-Mahdi, told reporters Tuesday that Ethiopia "threatens the people of the Nile basin, and Sudan directly". "We hope that President Tshisekedi's judgement will be able to end... these interminable and insufficient negotiations in which the Ethiopian side places everyone before a fait accompli, in a way that clearly violates international law and the principles of good neighbourliness," she said. 'The first step' Ethiopia says power produced by the GERD will be vital to meet the development needs of its 110 million people. But the two countries downstream fear their lifeline could be threatened. "We are talking about taking into account all 250 million souls who live in the three countries and their interests," said al-Mahdi. The head of a team of DRC experts, David Tshishiku, insisted that the Kinshasa talks were simply the beginning of Tshisekedi's efforts to mediate the tricky dispute. The negotiations were "the first step, on which President Tshisekedi will set out alternatives and working approaches," he told reporters. Al-Mahdi warned that "without a new programme (for discussions), Ethiopia has an open road to place the people of the region and the entire African continent in danger". 'Unimaginable instability' The US ambassador in Kinshasa, Mike Hammer, met during the night on Monday for three hours with the delegation chiefs of the three countries in a bid to push matters forward. Egypt has said the Kinshasa talks are the last chance to reach an agreement, after President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi said last week that the region faces "unimaginable stability" over the project. "Nobody will be permitted to take a single drop of Egypt's water," he said. Egypt, which depends on the Nile for about 97 percent of its irrigation and drinking water, sees the dam as an existential threat. Sudan, also downstream, fears its own dams will be compromised if Ethiopia proceeds with filling the GERD before a deal is reached. Ethiopia said in its statement that it expected the meeting to resume around the third week of April.

Egypt, Ethiopia, Sudan trade blame as Nile dam talks fail

Ethiopia has assured that Eritrean troops fighting in its conflict-hit Tigray region "started to evacuate" one day after the G7 group of leading nations called for their rapid withdrawal.&nbsp;

Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed announced last week that the Eritrean forces would leave Tigray, in the north of the country, just three days after finally acknowledging their presence amid mounting reports of massacres and widespread sexual violence.

But residents of some Tigray cities and towns continued to report the presence of Eritrean soldiers in recent days.

The G7, to this end, said in a statement Friday that their exit "must be swift, unconditional and verifiable".

In a response posted online Saturday night, Ethiopia's foreign ministry said that process had begun.

"As announced last week, the Eritrean troops who had crossed the border when provoked by the TPLF have now started to evacuate," the statement said, adding that Ethiopia's military had now "taken over guarding the national border."

The TPLF is the Tigray People's Liberation Front, former ruling party in Tigray that dominated national politics in Ethiopia for nearly three decades before Abiy took power in 2018.

Friday's G7 statement also called for "independent, transparent and impartial investigation" of alleged human rights abuses and "unhindered humanitarian access".

The Ethiopian foreign ministry statement Saturday noted that a joint investigation involving "international human rights experts" would begin soon. It also said foreign aid to respond to the conflict remained "far too low".

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/g7-urges-rapid-eritrean-withdrawal-from-tigray-as-stalemate-looms-375110">Also read |&nbsp;G7 urges rapid Eritrean withdrawal from Tigray as stalemate looms</a>

Abiy sent troops into Tigray in November, a move he said came in response to TPLF-orchestrated attacks on federal army camps.&nbsp;

Addis Ababa and Asmara long denied Eritreans were active in Tigray at all, contradicting testimony from residents, rights groups, aid workers, diplomats and even some Ethiopian civilian and military officials.

Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch (HRW) had earlier accused Eritrean troops of massacring hundreds of people in the Tigrayan town of Axum in November.

Ethiopia has assured that Eritrean troops fighting in its conflict-hit Tigray region "started to evacuate" one day after the G7 group of leading nations called for their rapid withdrawal.

Ethiopia has assured that Eritrean troops fighting in its conflict-hit Tigray region "started to evacuate" one day after the G7 group of leading nations called for their rapid withdrawal. Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed announced last week that the Eritrean forces would leave Tigray, in the north of the country, just three days after finally acknowledging their presence amid mounting reports of massacres and widespread sexual violence. But residents of some Tigray cities and towns continued to report the presence of Eritrean soldiers in recent days. The G7, to this end, said in a statement Friday that their exit "must be swift, unconditional and verifiable". In a response posted online Saturday night, Ethiopia's foreign ministry said that process had begun. "As announced last week, the Eritrean troops who had crossed the border when provoked by the TPLF have now started to evacuate," the statement said, adding that Ethiopia's military had now "taken over guarding the national border." The TPLF is the Tigray People's Liberation Front, former ruling party in Tigray that dominated national politics in Ethiopia for nearly three decades before Abiy took power in 2018. Friday's G7 statement also called for "independent, transparent and impartial investigation" of alleged human rights abuses and "unhindered humanitarian access". The Ethiopian foreign ministry statement Saturday noted that a joint investigation involving "international human rights experts" would begin soon. It also said foreign aid to respond to the conflict remained "far too low". Also read | G7 urges rapid Eritrean withdrawal from Tigray as stalemate looms Abiy sent troops into Tigray in November, a move he said came in response to TPLF-orchestrated attacks on federal army camps. Addis Ababa and Asmara long denied Eritreans were active in Tigray at all, contradicting testimony from residents, rights groups, aid workers, diplomats and even some Ethiopian civilian and military officials. Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch (HRW) had earlier accused Eritrean troops of massacring hundreds of people in the Tigrayan town of Axum in November.

G7 effect: Ethiopia says Eritrean troops have 'started to evacuate' Tigray

Five months back Ethiopian troops entered Tigray with Prime minister Abiy Ahmed saying he wanted to bring the restive northern province to heel.

He promised a swift and decisive victory and a quick return to normalcy and prosperity.

Instead, his troops have bathed the province in blood, raped entire villages and massacred Tigrayan youth.

Watch |&nbsp;

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-tigray-massacre-caught-on-camera-375053/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

It's a humanitarian crisis of biblical proportions.

There is a long list of allegations against Ethiopia, but they have been difficult to prove because the government has cut off the internet.

Foreign media have been barred from entering Tigray.

Inside this dome of radio static, Ethiopian troops have committed untold horrors.

Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/ethiopia-researchers-identify-1900-people-killed-in-tigray-375006">Ethiopia: Researchers identify 1,900 people killed in Tigray</a>

We do get reports of their ruthless tactics, but until now there was no visual evidence.

A video of this you be viewed in this Gravitas story and is clearly a massacre caught on camera.

A mass execution by bullets carried out by the Ethiopian Army.

The images are disturbing and we advise viewer discretion.

More than a dozen young Tigrayans were shot dead and the manner of their execution speaks volumes of the Army's conduct.

There is no dignity even in death and the victims' bodies are flung off the cliffside.

The soldiers are mouthing abuses at the dead bodies and one of them can be heard saying don't waste bullets, use minimum shots to kill the captives.

What's even more worrying is that thousands of civilians have been killed in the war.

Some opposition parties claim as many as 50,000 people may have died.

However, these reports cannot be confirmed since there is no internet.&nbsp;

Informants in Tigray have compiled a list of casualties for a University in Belgium, it talks about 151 massacres, each of them with at least 5 victims.

The UN says more than 500 rape cases have been reported in Tigray.

These are only the reported ones and only 5 clinics were covered, suggesting that the actual number could be much higher.&nbsp;

The details of these cases are even more gruesome.

In some instances, men were forced to rape their own family members at gunpoint.

The army has abandoned its commitment to protecting the people and the government has forsaken justice.

This is nothing short of a campaign of extermination and Ethiopia isn't alone.

For months now, troops from neighbouring Eritrea have been involved as well.

The Ethiopian PM kept denying this until last month when he promised that the foreign soldiers would withdraw under a new agreement.

But what about his own army's abuses? He says the government will hold the troops accountable.

But for that, he will have to win the war and he is no closer to doing that than he was five months back.

The atrocities have galvanised the Tigrayan people and the rebel army is swelling.

The ethnic cleansing in Tigray is the collective failure of the world community.

The UN failed to mediate and the African Union failed to dissuade the Ethiopian PM.&nbsp;

The speechwriters in Washington and London prepared excellent drafts for their leaders, strong words of condemnation, but nothing more.

As for the prime minister, it's a fall from grace and he's yet to hit the bottom.

A Nobel Peace Prize winner who is now leading a war on his own people.

Abiy will forever be remembered as the man who shredded the social fabric of Ethiopia, a merchant of the peace who traded in massacres.

 
&nbsp;

Five months back Ethiopian troops entered Tigray with Prime minister Abiy Ahmed saying he wanted to bring the restive northern province to heel. He promised a swift and decisive victory and a quick return to normalcy and prosperity.

Five months back Ethiopian troops entered Tigray with Prime minister Abiy Ahmed saying he wanted to bring the restive northern province to heel. He promised a swift and decisive victory and a quick return to normalcy and prosperity. Instead, his troops have bathed the province in blood, raped entire villages and massacred Tigrayan youth. Watch | It's a humanitarian crisis of biblical proportions. There is a long list of allegations against Ethiopia, but they have been difficult to prove because the government has cut off the internet. Foreign media have been barred from entering Tigray. Inside this dome of radio static, Ethiopian troops have committed untold horrors. Also read | Ethiopia: Researchers identify 1,900 people killed in Tigray We do get reports of their ruthless tactics, but until now there was no visual evidence. A video of this you be viewed in this Gravitas story and is clearly a massacre caught on camera. A mass execution by bullets carried out by the Ethiopian Army. The images are disturbing and we advise viewer discretion. More than a dozen young Tigrayans were shot dead and the manner of their execution speaks volumes of the Army's conduct. There is no dignity even in death and the victims' bodies are flung off the cliffside. The soldiers are mouthing abuses at the dead bodies and one of them can be heard saying don't waste bullets, use minimum shots to kill the captives. What's even more worrying is that thousands of civilians have been killed in the war. Some opposition parties claim as many as 50,000 people may have died. However, these reports cannot be confirmed since there is no internet. Informants in Tigray have compiled a list of casualties for a University in Belgium, it talks about 151 massacres, each of them with at least 5 victims. The UN says more than 500 rape cases have been reported in Tigray. These are only the reported ones and only 5 clinics were covered, suggesting that the actual number could be much higher. The details of these cases are even more gruesome. In some instances, men were forced to rape their own family members at gunpoint. The army has abandoned its commitment to protecting the people and the government has forsaken justice. This is nothing short of a campaign of extermination and Ethiopia isn't alone. For months now, troops from neighbouring Eritrea have been involved as well. The Ethiopian PM kept denying this until last month when he promised that the foreign soldiers would withdraw under a new agreement. But what about his own army's abuses? He says the government will hold the troops accountable. But for that, he will have to win the war and he is no closer to doing that than he was five months back. The atrocities have galvanised the Tigrayan people and the rebel army is swelling. The ethnic cleansing in Tigray is the collective failure of the world community. The UN failed to mediate and the African Union failed to dissuade the Ethiopian PM. The speechwriters in Washington and London prepared excellent drafts for their leaders, strong words of condemnation, but nothing more. As for the prime minister, it's a fall from grace and he's yet to hit the bottom. A Nobel Peace Prize winner who is now leading a war on his own people. Abiy will forever be remembered as the man who shredded the social fabric of Ethiopia, a merchant of the peace who traded in massacres.

Now there is evidence of barbarity of Ethiopian Army. Will there be action?

The G7 group of leading nations on Friday called for the "swift" withdrawal of Eritrean troops from Ethiopia's conflict-hit northern Tigray region, as the International Crisis Group (ICG) warned of a prolonged stalemate.&nbsp;

Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed announced last week that Eritrean forces would leave the region, just three days after finally acknowledging their presence amid mounting reports of massacres and widespread sexual violence. &nbsp;

"We welcome the recent announcement from (Ethiopian) Prime Minister Abiy that Eritrean forces will withdraw from Tigray," the G7 foreign ministers said in a statement released in Berlin.&nbsp;

"This process must be swift, unconditional and verifiable."

Abiy, winner of the Nobel Peace Prize, sent troops into Tigray in November to detain and disarm leaders of the once-dominant regional ruling party, the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF).

He said the move came in response to TPLF-orchestrated attacks on federal army camps.&nbsp;

Abiy declared victory within weeks, but combat has continued recently in central and southern Tigray, conflict-prevention group ICG said Friday in a briefing published nearly five months after the first shots were fired.

- Eritrean presence -

Addis Ababa and Asmara long denied Eritreans were active in Tigray at all, contradicting testimony from residents, rights groups, aid workers, diplomats and even some Ethiopian civilian and military officials.

Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch (HRW) have accused Eritrean troops of massacring hundreds of people in the Tigrayan town of Axum in November.&nbsp;

AFP has separately documented a massacre allegedly carried out by Eritrean troops in the town of Dengolat, also in November.

Tigray's interim leader, Mulu Nega, told AFP this week that withdrawal was "a process" and would not happen immediately.

Residents of several Tigrayan cities and towns told AFP this week that Eritreans appeared to have actually ramped up their presence in some areas.

At least four truckloads of Eritrean soldiers have arrived in the town of Edaga Hamus since last weekend, said one resident who asked not to be named for safety reasons.

"Since the&nbsp;Eritrean&nbsp;soldiers have arrived back in Edaga Hamus I have been unable to leave my house for fear that they would kill me if they find me on the street," the resident said.&nbsp;

"However, I may soon need to go out of my house in search of food items for me, my wife and my two kids or else all of us will starve to death."

More Eritrean troops have also recently arrived in the town of Senkata, though it was unclear if they would stay, said a resident who spoke on condition of anonymity as well.

"There is anxiety that the&nbsp;Eritrean&nbsp;soldiers are preparing a large-scale confrontation," the resident said.

Asked about the status of Eritrea's withdrawal, Eritrean information minister Yemane Gebremeskel told AFP via email this week that Abiy's statements were "unequivocal and unambiguous".

- 'Entrenched' resistance -

In its briefing Friday, ICG warned that fighting risked dragging on for months and even years, with both sides eyeing a military "knockout blow" that appears unrealistic.

The number of fighters loyal to the TPLF is likely swelling because of rising fury over atrocities, it said.&nbsp;

Most TPLF leaders remain on the run and ICG noted that none were reported captured or killed in February or March.&nbsp;

Pro-TPLF fighters have regrouped under the Tigray Defence Forces, an armed movement "led by the removed Tigrayan leaders and commanded by former high-ranking" military officers, ICG said.

The resistance is "entrenched" and enjoys popular support from Tigrayans angry over mass killings and rapes, including those committed by soldiers from Eritrea, the TPLF's bitter enemy, ICG said.&nbsp;

Mulu, who was appointed by Abiy, has previously acknowledged that the Tigrayan population has "mixed feelings" about his administration's presence in the region.

He and other officials, though, have said assumptions that the TPLF enjoys widespread popular support are misguided and have downplayed its potential to mount an effective insurgency.

- Massacres -

Access restrictions for humanitarian workers, researchers and journalists have made it difficult to determine a death toll for the fighting so far.&nbsp;

But myriad reports have emerged of massacres, extrajudicial killings and sexual violence.

Abiy's government has said it is committed to investigating such crimes.

On Thursday researchers at Ghent University in Belgium published a paper saying they had identified 1,942 civilian casualties, only three percent of whom died in shelling and air strikes.

They also included a list of 151 "massacres" in which at least five unarmed civilians were killed.

The researchers' findings could not be independently verified.&nbsp;

ICG said in its briefing that peace talks seem unlikely in the immediate term, but called on the US, the EU and the African Union to push for a cessation of hostilities and expanded humanitarian access.

The G7 group of leading nations on Friday called for the "swift" withdrawal of Eritrean troops from Ethiopia's conflict-hit northern Tigray region, as the International Crisis Group (ICG) warned of a prolonged stalemate.

The G7 group of leading nations on Friday called for the "swift" withdrawal of Eritrean troops from Ethiopia's conflict-hit northern Tigray region, as the International Crisis Group (ICG) warned of a prolonged stalemate. Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed announced last week that Eritrean forces would leave the region, just three days after finally acknowledging their presence amid mounting reports of massacres and widespread sexual violence. "We welcome the recent announcement from (Ethiopian) Prime Minister Abiy that Eritrean forces will withdraw from Tigray," the G7 foreign ministers said in a statement released in Berlin. "This process must be swift, unconditional and verifiable." Abiy, winner of the Nobel Peace Prize, sent troops into Tigray in November to detain and disarm leaders of the once-dominant regional ruling party, the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF). He said the move came in response to TPLF-orchestrated attacks on federal army camps. Abiy declared victory within weeks, but combat has continued recently in central and southern Tigray, conflict-prevention group ICG said Friday in a briefing published nearly five months after the first shots were fired. - Eritrean presence - Addis Ababa and Asmara long denied Eritreans were active in Tigray at all, contradicting testimony from residents, rights groups, aid workers, diplomats and even some Ethiopian civilian and military officials. Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch (HRW) have accused Eritrean troops of massacring hundreds of people in the Tigrayan town of Axum in November. AFP has separately documented a massacre allegedly carried out by Eritrean troops in the town of Dengolat, also in November. Tigray's interim leader, Mulu Nega, told AFP this week that withdrawal was "a process" and would not happen immediately. Residents of several Tigrayan cities and towns told AFP this week that Eritreans appeared to have actually ramped up their presence in some areas. At least four truckloads of Eritrean soldiers have arrived in the town of Edaga Hamus since last weekend, said one resident who asked not to be named for safety reasons. "Since the Eritrean soldiers have arrived back in Edaga Hamus I have been unable to leave my house for fear that they would kill me if they find me on the street," the resident said. "However, I may soon need to go out of my house in search of food items for me, my wife and my two kids or else all of us will starve to death." More Eritrean troops have also recently arrived in the town of Senkata, though it was unclear if they would stay, said a resident who spoke on condition of anonymity as well. "There is anxiety that the Eritrean soldiers are preparing a large-scale confrontation," the resident said. Asked about the status of Eritrea's withdrawal, Eritrean information minister Yemane Gebremeskel told AFP via email this week that Abiy's statements were "unequivocal and unambiguous". - 'Entrenched' resistance - In its briefing Friday, ICG warned that fighting risked dragging on for months and even years, with both sides eyeing a military "knockout blow" that appears unrealistic. The number of fighters loyal to the TPLF is likely swelling because of rising fury over atrocities, it said. Most TPLF leaders remain on the run and ICG noted that none were reported captured or killed in February or March. Pro-TPLF fighters have regrouped under the Tigray Defence Forces, an armed movement "led by the removed Tigrayan leaders and commanded by former high-ranking" military officers, ICG said. The resistance is "entrenched" and enjoys popular support from Tigrayans angry over mass killings and rapes, including those committed by soldiers from Eritrea, the TPLF's bitter enemy, ICG said. Mulu, who was appointed by Abiy, has previously acknowledged that the Tigrayan population has "mixed feelings" about his administration's presence in the region. He and other officials, though, have said assumptions that the TPLF enjoys widespread popular support are misguided and have downplayed its potential to mount an effective insurgency. - Massacres - Access restrictions for humanitarian workers, researchers and journalists have made it difficult to determine a death toll for the fighting so far. But myriad reports have emerged of massacres, extrajudicial killings and sexual violence. Abiy's government has said it is committed to investigating such crimes. On Thursday researchers at Ghent University in Belgium published a paper saying they had identified 1,942 civilian casualties, only three percent of whom died in shelling and air strikes. They also included a list of 151 "massacres" in which at least five unarmed civilians were killed. The researchers' findings could not be independently verified. ICG said in its briefing that peace talks seem unlikely in the immediate term, but called on the US, the EU and the African Union to push for a cessation of hostilities and expanded humanitarian access.

G7 urges rapid Eritrean withdrawal from Tigray as stalemate looms

Researchers have identified about 2,000 people who have lost their lives in over 150 massacres by soldiers, paramilitaries and insurgents in the conflicting Tigray region.&nbsp;

The youngest victims were infants and the oldest in their 90s.&nbsp;

The reports of a network of informants in the northern Ethiopian province who work for a team at the University of Ghent in Belgium helped in the identifications, reports The Guardian.&nbsp;

Watch |&nbsp;

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="http://wionews.com/videos/exclusive-ethiopian-envoy-tizita-mulugeta-to-india-says-humanitarian-aid-being-delivered-366444/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

Media reports and other sources were used by the team, who is studying the Tigray conflict since it started last year, to crosscheck the identifications.&nbsp;

The findings can raise global pressure on Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed who has stressed that the reports of mass killings and other sufferings are exaggerated.&nbsp;

Also read | <a href="http://wionews.com/world/ethiopia-risks-lengthy-stalemate-in-war-hit-tigray-report-says-374935">Ethiopia risks lengthy stalemate in war-hit Tigray, report says</a>

Ethiopia sent troops in November in Tigray to oust the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF), which resulted in a larger clash in which thousands of people were killed and hundreds of thousands were displaced.&nbsp;

The researchers mentioned 20 massacres in which more than five people died and include killings of more than 250 civilians over three days in the town of Humera.&nbsp;

Jan Nyssen, a professor who led the probe and spent decades living and working in Tigray, said the report was like a "war memorial".&nbsp;

"These individuals should not be forgotten and these war crimes should be investigated … The list is to show the magnitude of what is happening. We know there are many more but … we know the name and the circumstances of these 1,900," he said.&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

Researchers have identified about 2,000 people who have lost their lives in over 150 massacres by soldiers, paramilitaries and insurgents in the conflicting Tigray region.

Researchers have identified about 2,000 people who have lost their lives in over 150 massacres by soldiers, paramilitaries and insurgents in the conflicting Tigray region. The youngest victims were infants and the oldest in their 90s. The reports of a network of informants in the northern Ethiopian province who work for a team at the University of Ghent in Belgium helped in the identifications, reports The Guardian. Watch | Media reports and other sources were used by the team, who is studying the Tigray conflict since it started last year, to crosscheck the identifications. The findings can raise global pressure on Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed who has stressed that the reports of mass killings and other sufferings are exaggerated. Also read | Ethiopia risks lengthy stalemate in war-hit Tigray, report says Ethiopia sent troops in November in Tigray to oust the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF), which resulted in a larger clash in which thousands of people were killed and hundreds of thousands were displaced. The researchers mentioned 20 massacres in which more than five people died and include killings of more than 250 civilians over three days in the town of Humera. Jan Nyssen, a professor who led the probe and spent decades living and working in Tigray, said the report was like a "war memorial". "These individuals should not be forgotten and these war crimes should be investigated … The list is to show the magnitude of what is happening. We know there are many more but … we know the name and the circumstances of these 1,900," he said.

Ethiopia: Researchers identify 1,900 people killed in Tigray

The war in Ethiopia's northern Tigray region risks dragging on for months and even years, with both sides eyeing a military "knockout blow" that appears unrealistic, the International Crisis Group (ICG) said Friday.&nbsp;

Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed sent troops into Tigray in November to detain and disarm leaders of the once-dominant regional ruling party, the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF).

He said the move came in response to TPLF-orchestrated attacks on federal army camps.&nbsp;

Abiy declared victory within weeks, but combat has continued recently in central and southern Tigray, conflict-prevention group ICG said in a briefing published nearly five months after the first shots were fired.

The number of fighters loyal to the TPLF is likely swelling because of rising fury over atrocities, it said.&nbsp;

Even though Ethiopia's military has backing from Eritrea and Ethiopia's Amhara region, which borders Tigray to the south, most TPLF leaders remain on the run and ICG noted that none were reported captured or killed in February or March.&nbsp;

Pro-TPLF fighters have regrouped under the Tigray Defence Forces, an armed movement "led by the removed Tigrayan leaders and commanded by former high-ranking" military officers, ICG said.

The resistance is "entrenched" and enjoys popular support from Tigrayans angry over mass killings and rapes, including those committed by soldiers from Eritrea, the TPLF's bitter enemy, ICG said.&nbsp;

Amid mounting international pressure, Abiy said a week ago that Eritrean troops would pull out of Tigray.

But the region's interim leader Mulu Nega told AFP this week that withdrawal was "a process" and would not happen immediately.

Mulu, who was appointed by Abiy, has previously acknowledged that the Tigrayan population has "mixed feelings" about his administration's presence in the region.

He and other officials, though, have said assumptions that the TPLF enjoys widespread popular support are misguided and have downplayed its potential to mount an effective insurgency.

ICG said in its briefing that peace talks seem unlikely in the immediate term, but called on the US, the EU and the African Union to push for a cessation of hostilities and expanded humanitarian access.

The war in Ethiopia's northern Tigray region risks dragging on for months and even years, with both sides eyeing a military "knockout blow" that appears unrealistic, the International Crisis Group (ICG) said Friday.

The war in Ethiopia's northern Tigray region risks dragging on for months and even years, with both sides eyeing a military "knockout blow" that appears unrealistic, the International Crisis Group (ICG) said Friday. Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed sent troops into Tigray in November to detain and disarm leaders of the once-dominant regional ruling party, the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF). He said the move came in response to TPLF-orchestrated attacks on federal army camps. Abiy declared victory within weeks, but combat has continued recently in central and southern Tigray, conflict-prevention group ICG said in a briefing published nearly five months after the first shots were fired. The number of fighters loyal to the TPLF is likely swelling because of rising fury over atrocities, it said. Even though Ethiopia's military has backing from Eritrea and Ethiopia's Amhara region, which borders Tigray to the south, most TPLF leaders remain on the run and ICG noted that none were reported captured or killed in February or March. Pro-TPLF fighters have regrouped under the Tigray Defence Forces, an armed movement "led by the removed Tigrayan leaders and commanded by former high-ranking" military officers, ICG said. The resistance is "entrenched" and enjoys popular support from Tigrayans angry over mass killings and rapes, including those committed by soldiers from Eritrea, the TPLF's bitter enemy, ICG said. Amid mounting international pressure, Abiy said a week ago that Eritrean troops would pull out of Tigray. But the region's interim leader Mulu Nega told AFP this week that withdrawal was "a process" and would not happen immediately. Mulu, who was appointed by Abiy, has previously acknowledged that the Tigrayan population has "mixed feelings" about his administration's presence in the region. He and other officials, though, have said assumptions that the TPLF enjoys widespread popular support are misguided and have downplayed its potential to mount an effective insurgency. ICG said in its briefing that peace talks seem unlikely in the immediate term, but called on the US, the EU and the African Union to push for a cessation of hostilities and expanded humanitarian access.

Ethiopia risks lengthy stalemate in war-hit Tigray, report says

A rebel group in Ethiopia's restive Oromia region carried out a "terror attack" this week that killed an unknown number of civilians, officials said Wednesday, while a witness put the death toll in the dozens.

The attack took place in the western part of the Wollega area, where Ethiopian soldiers have been fighting an armed group known as the Oromo Liberation Army (OLA), the Oromia regional government said in a statement.&nbsp;

"Although the (OLA) has been weakened by measures taken by the government together with the community to ensure rule of law, out of a feeling of desperation it continues to carry out attacks on civilians," the statement said.

Oromia communications officials did not respond to requests for comment, and the statement did not provide details on fatalities or how the attack was carried out.&nbsp;

One resident of the Babo-Gembel district where the attack took place told AFP that gunmen arrived after 9:00 pm Tuesday, forced residents to gather outside in a group and shot them dead.

"The place had no security cover from government security forces at the time," said the man, a guard at an Orthodox church, who spoke on condition of anonymity for safety reasons.

"I found 29 bodies lying in one area, while there were other bodies scattered in nearby areas."

- Government 'silence' -

Survivors of similar recent attacks in Oromia -- a region dominated by Ethiopia's largest ethnic group, the Oromos -- have accused OLA fighters of targeting members of the Amhara ethnic group, the second largest.&nbsp;

"There have been at least three occasions before the attack where flyers were distributed in the area calling for Amharas to leave," the security guard said.&nbsp;

Tewodrose Tirfe, chairman of the Amhara Association of America based in Washington, said Wednesday that "in the month of March well over 300 Amharas including women and children have been massacred by the Oromo Liberation Army".

He also accused the government of being "silent" on massacres.

OLA spokesman Odaa Tarbii denied responsibility for the attack, saying on Twitter that an investigation would "100 percent absolve" the group.&nbsp;

In a statement earlier this week he denied it was targeting Amhara civilians.&nbsp;

"The Oromo Liberation Army has never at any time engaged in mass killings or ethnic cleansing," Odaa said.&nbsp;

"There are several thousand Amharas and members of other groups that live peacefully in areas administered by us and they will testify that we do not treat them any differently."

- 'Spreading' insecurity -

The OLA, believed to number in the low thousands, broke off from the Oromo Liberation Front (OLF), an opposition party that spent years in exile but was allowed to return to Ethiopia after Abiy took office in 2018.&nbsp;

No link has been demonstrated between the fighting in Oromia and the ongoing conflict in Ethiopia's northern Tigray region.

Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed's government has described the campaign in Tigray as an operation to detain and disarm leaders of the local ruling party, the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF).&nbsp;

But officials have long accused the TPLF of partnering with the OLA to foment ethnic violence and undermine Abiy's government -- a claim the Oromia regional government reiterated in its statement Wednesday.&nbsp;

The Ethiopian Human Rights Commission, a government-affiliated but independent body, said Wednesday that this week's violence in western Wollega "shows that the security situation in the area has not improved and is instead spreading to neighbouring regions and causing additional human rights violations."

&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

A rebel group in Ethiopia's restive Oromia region carried out a "terror attack" this week that killed an unknown number of civilians, officials said Wednesday, while a witness put the death toll in the dozens.

A rebel group in Ethiopia's restive Oromia region carried out a "terror attack" this week that killed an unknown number of civilians, officials said Wednesday, while a witness put the death toll in the dozens. The attack took place in the western part of the Wollega area, where Ethiopian soldiers have been fighting an armed group known as the Oromo Liberation Army (OLA), the Oromia regional government said in a statement. "Although the (OLA) has been weakened by measures taken by the government together with the community to ensure rule of law, out of a feeling of desperation it continues to carry out attacks on civilians," the statement said. Oromia communications officials did not respond to requests for comment, and the statement did not provide details on fatalities or how the attack was carried out. One resident of the Babo-Gembel district where the attack took place told AFP that gunmen arrived after 9:00 pm Tuesday, forced residents to gather outside in a group and shot them dead. "The place had no security cover from government security forces at the time," said the man, a guard at an Orthodox church, who spoke on condition of anonymity for safety reasons. "I found 29 bodies lying in one area, while there were other bodies scattered in nearby areas." - Government 'silence' - Survivors of similar recent attacks in Oromia -- a region dominated by Ethiopia's largest ethnic group, the Oromos -- have accused OLA fighters of targeting members of the Amhara ethnic group, the second largest. "There have been at least three occasions before the attack where flyers were distributed in the area calling for Amharas to leave," the security guard said. Tewodrose Tirfe, chairman of the Amhara Association of America based in Washington, said Wednesday that "in the month of March well over 300 Amharas including women and children have been massacred by the Oromo Liberation Army". He also accused the government of being "silent" on massacres. OLA spokesman Odaa Tarbii denied responsibility for the attack, saying on Twitter that an investigation would "100 percent absolve" the group. In a statement earlier this week he denied it was targeting Amhara civilians. "The Oromo Liberation Army has never at any time engaged in mass killings or ethnic cleansing," Odaa said. "There are several thousand Amharas and members of other groups that live peacefully in areas administered by us and they will testify that we do not treat them any differently." - 'Spreading' insecurity - The OLA, believed to number in the low thousands, broke off from the Oromo Liberation Front (OLF), an opposition party that spent years in exile but was allowed to return to Ethiopia after Abiy took office in 2018. No link has been demonstrated between the fighting in Oromia and the ongoing conflict in Ethiopia's northern Tigray region. Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed's government has described the campaign in Tigray as an operation to detain and disarm leaders of the local ruling party, the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF). But officials have long accused the TPLF of partnering with the OLA to foment ethnic violence and undermine Abiy's government -- a claim the Oromia regional government reiterated in its statement Wednesday. The Ethiopian Human Rights Commission, a government-affiliated but independent body, said Wednesday that this week's violence in western Wollega "shows that the security situation in the area has not improved and is instead spreading to neighbouring regions and causing additional human rights violations." (With inputs from agencies)

Ethiopian rebels blamed for 'terror attack' in restive west

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