In a significant moment of historical restitution, a lock of hair belonging to Prince Alemayehu, a young Ethiopian prince who passed away more than 140 years ago, has been ceremoniously handed over to representatives from Ethiopia in the United Kingdom.

The gesture symbolises a step towards reconciling a complex chapter in history that began in 1868 when British soldiers took the young prince from Ethiopia following the invasion of his father's fortress, Emperor Tewodros II, who subsequently took his own life, reported the BBC.

<h2>The unfortunate fate of prince Alemayehu</h2>

Prince Alemayehu's life took a tragic turn when, at the tender age of seven, he was relocated to London.

This relocation came about due to his orphaned status and the decision of Queen Victoria, who agreed to financially support him.

Captain Tristram Charles Sawyer Speedy, who had accompanied the young prince from Ethiopia, became his guardian during this period. However, the prince's upbringing in Britain was marked by unhappiness, far from his homeland's embrace.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/like-new-zealand-sunak-considering-banning-cigarettes-for-next-generation-638733">Like New Zealand, Sunak considering banning cigarettes for next generation</a>

<h2>Buried at Windsor castle</h2>

Upon his untimely death at the age of 18 in 1879, Prince Alemayehu was laid to rest at Windsor Castle near London. This burial site has been a subject of controversy in recent years, as Ethiopia has persistently requested the repatriation of his remains.

On Friday (September 22), Ethiopia's ambassador to the UK, Teferi Melesse, officially received the lock of hair that once belonged to Prince Alemayehu.

Also watch |&nbsp;UK urges Meta not to roll out end-to-end encryption on Messenger and Instagram

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The hair, along with several other artefacts looted from Emperor Tewodros's Maqdala fortress, was returned.

Ambassador Melesse welcomed this act of restitution, expressing the belief that these cultural treasures would now return to their rightful place, serving as sources of inspiration and education for future generations.

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Extraordinary event at London's <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Athenaeum?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Athenaeum</a> as treasures looted by the British army, Maqdala <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Ethiopia?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Ethiopia</a> 1868 returned by private owners to Ethiopian church + govt. Including a holy tabot &amp; lock of Prince Alamayu's hair. <a href="https://t.co/LxEBSZRyNM">pic.twitter.com/LxEBSZRyNM</a>
— Barnaby Phillips (@BarnabyPhillips) <a href="https://twitter.com/BarnabyPhillips/status/1704962135724327329?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 21, 2023</a></blockquote>
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Despite these calls for repatriation, Buckingham Palace has rebuffed recent demands to exhume the prince's remains, citing concerns about disturbing the catacombs of St George's Chapel in Windsor Castle, where he rests.&nbsp;

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In a significant moment of historical restitution, a lock of hair belonging to Prince Alemayehu, a young Ethiopian prince who passed away more than 140 years ago, has been ceremoniously handed over to representatives from Ethiopia in the United Kingdom.

In a significant moment of historical restitution, a lock of hair belonging to Prince Alemayehu, a young Ethiopian prince who passed away more than 140 years ago, has been ceremoniously handed over to representatives from Ethiopia in the United Kingdom. The gesture symbolises a step towards reconciling a complex chapter in history that began in 1868 when British soldiers took the young prince from Ethiopia following the invasion of his father's fortress, Emperor Tewodros II, who subsequently took his own life, reported the BBC. The unfortunate fate of prince Alemayehu Prince Alemayehu's life took a tragic turn when, at the tender age of seven, he was relocated to London. This relocation came about due to his orphaned status and the decision of Queen Victoria, who agreed to financially support him. Captain Tristram Charles Sawyer Speedy, who had accompanied the young prince from Ethiopia, became his guardian during this period. However, the prince's upbringing in Britain was marked by unhappiness, far from his homeland's embrace. Also read | Like New Zealand, Sunak considering banning cigarettes for next generation Buried at Windsor castle Upon his untimely death at the age of 18 in 1879, Prince Alemayehu was laid to rest at Windsor Castle near London. This burial site has been a subject of controversy in recent years, as Ethiopia has persistently requested the repatriation of his remains. On Friday (September 22), Ethiopia's ambassador to the UK, Teferi Melesse, officially received the lock of hair that once belonged to Prince Alemayehu. Also watch | UK urges Meta not to roll out end-to-end encryption on Messenger and Instagram The hair, along with several other artefacts looted from Emperor Tewodros's Maqdala fortress, was returned. Ambassador Melesse welcomed this act of restitution, expressing the belief that these cultural treasures would now return to their rightful place, serving as sources of inspiration and education for future generations. Extraordinary event at London's #Athenaeum as treasures looted by the British army, Maqdala #Ethiopia 1868 returned by private owners to Ethiopian church + govt. Including a holy tabot & lock of Prince Alamayu's hair. pic.twitter.com/LxEBSZRyNM — Barnaby Phillips (@BarnabyPhillips) September 21, 2023 × Despite these calls for repatriation, Buckingham Palace has rebuffed recent demands to exhume the prince's remains, citing concerns about disturbing the catacombs of St George's Chapel in Windsor Castle, where he rests. WATCH WON LIVE HERE:

UK returns Ethiopian prince’s lock of hair after 140 years

A US government contractor has been arrested on charges of spying, reportedly for Ethiopia. According to <a href="https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/us-government-contractor-arrested-espionage-charges">a statement by the US Justice Department </a>on Thursday (September 21), 50-year-old Abraham Teklu Lemma was arrested on August 24 and has been charged with providing national defence information to a foreign government. Lemma is a naturalised US citizen of Ethiopian descent.&nbsp;

"According to the criminal complaint, between on or about Dec. 19, 2022, and Aug. 7, 2023, Lemma copied classified information from intelligence reports and deleted the classification markings from them," the Justice Department statement said.&nbsp;

"Lemma then removed the information, which was classified as SECRET and TOP SECRET, from secure facilities at the Department of State. This material related to a specific country and/or geographic region. Lemma accessed, copied, removed, and retained this information without authorisation," it added.

Charging documents said that Lemma used an encrypted application to transmit classified national defence information to a foreign government official associated with a foreign country’s intelligence service.

In these communications, the 50-year-old expressed an interest and willingness to assist the foreign government official by providing information. In one such communication, the foreign official stated, “[i]t’s time to continue ur support.” Lemma responded, “Roger that!”

The department also said that the classified information that Lemma transferred to the foreign official included satellite imagery and other information regarding military activities in the foreign country and region.

"The two espionage charges carry a potential penalty of death or any term of years up to life in prison, and the willful retention charge carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison. A federal judge will determine any sentence based on the US Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors," it further said.&nbsp;

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A US government contractor has been arrested on charges of spying, reportedly for Ethiopia. According to a statement by the US Justice Department on Thursday (September 21), 50-year-old Abraham Teklu Lemma was arrested on August 24 and has been charged with providing national defence information to a foreign government.

A US government contractor has been arrested on charges of spying, reportedly for Ethiopia. According to a statement by the US Justice Department on Thursday (September 21), 50-year-old Abraham Teklu Lemma was arrested on August 24 and has been charged with providing national defence information to a foreign government. Lemma is a naturalised US citizen of Ethiopian descent. "According to the criminal complaint, between on or about Dec. 19, 2022, and Aug. 7, 2023, Lemma copied classified information from intelligence reports and deleted the classification markings from them," the Justice Department statement said. "Lemma then removed the information, which was classified as SECRET and TOP SECRET, from secure facilities at the Department of State. This material related to a specific country and/or geographic region. Lemma accessed, copied, removed, and retained this information without authorisation," it added. Charging documents said that Lemma used an encrypted application to transmit classified national defence information to a foreign government official associated with a foreign country’s intelligence service. In these communications, the 50-year-old expressed an interest and willingness to assist the foreign government official by providing information. In one such communication, the foreign official stated, “[i]t’s time to continue ur support.” Lemma responded, “Roger that!” The department also said that the classified information that Lemma transferred to the foreign official included satellite imagery and other information regarding military activities in the foreign country and region. "The two espionage charges carry a potential penalty of death or any term of years up to life in prison, and the willful retention charge carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison. A federal judge will determine any sentence based on the US Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors," it further said. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

US: Govt contractor arrested on charges of spying for Ethiopia

Ethiopia said on Sunday (September 10) that it has filled the Grand Renaissance Dam on the Nile. The dam has been topic of dispute between Ethiopia, Egypt and Sudan.

The announcement from Ethiopia has come just a fortnight after the countries restarted negotiations after a long break. The negotiations are on an agreement over the Nile water that takes into account water needs of all three countries.

Sudan and Egypt fear that the huge USD 4.2 billion dam will drastically reduce their share of water. Both countries have repeatedly asked Ethiopia to stop filling the dam until the three countries reach agreement.

"It is with great pleasure that I announce the successful completion of the fourth and final filling of the Renaissance Dam," Ethiopia Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed said on X, formerly Twitter.&nbsp;

"There was a lot of challenge. We were many times dragged to go backwards. We had an internal challenge and external pressure. We've reached (this stage) by coping together with God," Abiy said. &nbsp;

"I believe that we will finish what we have planned next," he said. &nbsp;

The communication service of the government said on X that the dam, which is the largest dam in Africa, was "a gift to generations”.

"Today's heroic generation will build tomorrow's strong Ethiopia on a solid foundation," it continued. &nbsp;

The huge hydroelectric dam is 1.8 kilometres long and 145 metres high. At full capacity, the dam could generate more than 5000 megawatts.

This would result in doubling of Ethiopia's electricity production. Currently, only half of Ethiopia's population has access to electricity.

There was no immediate reaction from Egypt and Sudan on Ethiopia's announcement.

Ethiopia broke ground on the project in 2011. The dam has been at the centre of regional dispute.

Negotiations between the three countries were in a stalemate for nearly two and a half years. The talks resumed in Cairo on August 27. The talks aim to reach an agreement "takes into account the interests and concerns of the three countries", Egyptian Water Resources and Irrigation Minister Hani Sewilam said at the time.&nbsp;

He called for "an end to unilateral measures".&nbsp;

Egypt is already facing water scarcity. The country views Ethiopia's dam as an existential threat since Egypt relies on Nile for 97 per cent of its water needs.

(With inputs from agencies)

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Ethiopia said on Sunday (September 10) that it has filled the Grand Renaissance Dam on the Nile. The dam has been topic of dispute between Ethiopia, Egypt and Sudan.

Ethiopia said on Sunday (September 10) that it has filled the Grand Renaissance Dam on the Nile. The dam has been topic of dispute between Ethiopia, Egypt and Sudan. The announcement from Ethiopia has come just a fortnight after the countries restarted negotiations after a long break. The negotiations are on an agreement over the Nile water that takes into account water needs of all three countries. Sudan and Egypt fear that the huge USD 4.2 billion dam will drastically reduce their share of water. Both countries have repeatedly asked Ethiopia to stop filling the dam until the three countries reach agreement. "It is with great pleasure that I announce the successful completion of the fourth and final filling of the Renaissance Dam," Ethiopia Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed said on X, formerly Twitter. "There was a lot of challenge. We were many times dragged to go backwards. We had an internal challenge and external pressure. We've reached (this stage) by coping together with God," Abiy said. "I believe that we will finish what we have planned next," he said. The communication service of the government said on X that the dam, which is the largest dam in Africa, was "a gift to generations”. "Today's heroic generation will build tomorrow's strong Ethiopia on a solid foundation," it continued. The huge hydroelectric dam is 1.8 kilometres long and 145 metres high. At full capacity, the dam could generate more than 5000 megawatts. This would result in doubling of Ethiopia's electricity production. Currently, only half of Ethiopia's population has access to electricity. There was no immediate reaction from Egypt and Sudan on Ethiopia's announcement. Ethiopia broke ground on the project in 2011. The dam has been at the centre of regional dispute. Negotiations between the three countries were in a stalemate for nearly two and a half years. The talks resumed in Cairo on August 27. The talks aim to reach an agreement "takes into account the interests and concerns of the three countries", Egyptian Water Resources and Irrigation Minister Hani Sewilam said at the time. He called for "an end to unilateral measures". Egypt is already facing water scarcity. The country views Ethiopia's dam as an existential threat since Egypt relies on Nile for 97 per cent of its water needs. (With inputs from agencies) You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here. WATCH WION LIVE HERE ×

Ethiopia announces completion of filling of disputed Nile dam

Ethiopia's Tigray region has come together to celebrate its women. After a hiatus of 2 years, females from the community came together to participate in song and dance traditions. What is Ashenda and how significant is it for women in Ethiopian culture?

Ashenda festival returns in Ethiopia after a 2-year hiatus

After months of deliberations, six new nations have become the new members of the bloc including Iran, Saudi Arabia, Argentina, Ethiopia, Egypt and UAE - this was announced by the host Cyril Ramaphosa in the ongoing BRICS summit 2023.

BRICS: PM Modi chats with Xi Jinping at summit | World News | WION

BRICS gets new members: Bloc invites Iran, Saudi Arabia among others to join | World News | WION

Ethiopia will launch a joint investigation with Saudi Arabia into allegations made by a human rights group that hundreds of migrants from their country were killed by Saudi border guards, said the Ethiopian foreign ministry, on Tuesday (August 22).&nbsp;

This comes a day after a report by Human Rights Watch (HRW) accused the Saudi border guards of mass killings of migrants along the Yemeni border.&nbsp;

<h2>Ethiopia and Saudi Arabia on the HRW report</h2>

A day after the HRW report was published, the Ethiopian foreign ministry released a statement and said, “The Government of Ethiopia will promptly investigate the incident in tandem with Saudi Authorities.” It also went on to emphasise the strong relations between the two governments.

“It is highly advised to exercise utmost restraint from making unnecessary speculations until the investigation is complete,” the statement added. Meanwhile, a Saudi government source who spoke to AFP called the allegations&nbsp;“unfounded”.&nbsp;

“The allegations included in the Human Rights Watch report about Saudi border guards shooting Ethiopians while they were crossing the Saudi-Yemeni border are unfounded and not based on reliable sources,” the anonymous source told the news agency.&nbsp;

<h2>What was the report about?</h2>

The <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/saudi-arabia-undertakes-mass-killings-of-migrants-crossing-border-claims-report-627474">73-page report</a> titled “They Fired On Us Like Rain” has sparked global outrage after its publication by the United States-based rights monitor. The researchers at the institute said it is impossible to know the precise number of migrants killed but gave a ballpark figure of over 650.&nbsp;

The report contains the testimony of&nbsp;migrants who say they were shot at using guns and targeted using explosive weapons as well. The Saudi border guards did not even spare women and children and often took sadistic pleasure in asking migrants what limb they wanted to get shot at, the report claims.&nbsp;

HRW interviewed as many as 42 migrants, including 38 Ethiopians who attempted to cross the Yemen-Saudi border between March 2022 and June 2023. The organisation also analysed over 350 videos and photographs posted on social media and other sources.

<h2>Countries’ response to report</h2>

The European Commission, on Tuesday, said it would raise the report’s findings with the Saudi government and the Houthi authorities in Yemen, and welcomed the joint probe plan.

“We welcome the announcement by the government of Ethiopia, specifically, to investigate the whole issue together with the authorities in Saudi Arabia,” said Commission spokesman Peter Stano.&nbsp;

The United States called on its long-time ally Saudi Arabia for “a thorough and transparent investigation” into the accusations. &nbsp;

The United Nations spokesman Stephane Dujarric called the report “very concerning” and noted that the “serious” allegations will be difficult to verify.

Similarly, the French foreign ministry also urged a transparent probe and said it would raise the issue of human rights in Yemen and Saudi Arabia with the Saudi authorities.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies) 
 
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Ethiopia will launch a joint investigation with Saudi Arabia into allegations made by a human rights group that hundreds of migrants from their country were killed by Saudi border guards, said the Ethiopian foreign ministry, on Tuesday (August 22).

Ethiopia will launch a joint investigation with Saudi Arabia into allegations made by a human rights group that hundreds of migrants from their country were killed by Saudi border guards, said the Ethiopian foreign ministry, on Tuesday (August 22). This comes a day after a report by Human Rights Watch (HRW) accused the Saudi border guards of mass killings of migrants along the Yemeni border. Ethiopia and Saudi Arabia on the HRW report A day after the HRW report was published, the Ethiopian foreign ministry released a statement and said, “The Government of Ethiopia will promptly investigate the incident in tandem with Saudi Authorities.” It also went on to emphasise the strong relations between the two governments. “It is highly advised to exercise utmost restraint from making unnecessary speculations until the investigation is complete,” the statement added. Meanwhile, a Saudi government source who spoke to AFP called the allegations “unfounded”. “The allegations included in the Human Rights Watch report about Saudi border guards shooting Ethiopians while they were crossing the Saudi-Yemeni border are unfounded and not based on reliable sources,” the anonymous source told the news agency. What was the report about? The 73-page report titled “They Fired On Us Like Rain” has sparked global outrage after its publication by the United States-based rights monitor. The researchers at the institute said it is impossible to know the precise number of migrants killed but gave a ballpark figure of over 650. The report contains the testimony of migrants who say they were shot at using guns and targeted using explosive weapons as well. The Saudi border guards did not even spare women and children and often took sadistic pleasure in asking migrants what limb they wanted to get shot at, the report claims. HRW interviewed as many as 42 migrants, including 38 Ethiopians who attempted to cross the Yemen-Saudi border between March 2022 and June 2023. The organisation also analysed over 350 videos and photographs posted on social media and other sources. Countries’ response to report The European Commission, on Tuesday, said it would raise the report’s findings with the Saudi government and the Houthi authorities in Yemen, and welcomed the joint probe plan. “We welcome the announcement by the government of Ethiopia, specifically, to investigate the whole issue together with the authorities in Saudi Arabia,” said Commission spokesman Peter Stano. The United States called on its long-time ally Saudi Arabia for “a thorough and transparent investigation” into the accusations. The United Nations spokesman Stephane Dujarric called the report “very concerning” and noted that the “serious” allegations will be difficult to verify. Similarly, the French foreign ministry also urged a transparent probe and said it would raise the issue of human rights in Yemen and Saudi Arabia with the Saudi authorities. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Ethiopia to investigate alleged migrant killings 'in tandem' with Saudi Arabia

A new report by Human Rights Watch (HRW) has accused the Saudi border guards of undertaking mass killings of migrants along the Yemeni border. The report claims that hundreds of migrants, the majority of them being Ethiopians, were gunned down while attempting to cross war-torn Yemen to reach Saudi Arabia.&nbsp;

The 73-page report titled "They Fired On Us Like Rain" contains the testimony of the migrants who say they were shot at using guns and targeted using explosive weapons as well. The&nbsp;Saudi border guards did not even spare women and children and often took sadistic pleasure&nbsp;in asking migrants, what limb they wanted to get shot at, the report claims.&nbsp;

To publish the report, HRW interviewed as many as 42 migrants, including 38 Ethiopians who attempted to cross the Yemen-Saudi border between&nbsp;March 2022 and June 2023. The organisation also analysed over 350 videos and photographs posted on social media and other sources.

“I saw people killed in a way I have never imagined,” Hamdiya.&nbsp;I saw 30 killed people on the spot,"&nbsp;Hamdiya, a 14-year-old girl who crossed the border, told the researchers.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Notably, the deadly attacks on Ethiopians continue despite over&nbsp;750,000 of them living and working in Saudi Arabia. While a significant portion of Ethiopians migrate for&nbsp;economic reasons, a number of them have fled because of serious human rights abuses in the country, including during the recent, brutal armed conflict in the north.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/opinions-blogs/war-in-yemen-may-be-over-peace-still-needs-to-be-won-587069">Also read |&nbsp;War in Yemen may be over, peace still needs to be won</a>

<h2>Never seen such violence: Researchers&nbsp;</h2>

The researchers at the institute said it is impossible to know the precise number of migrants killed but gave a ballpark figure of over 650.&nbsp;

“Spending billions buying up professional golf, football clubs, and major entertainment events to improve the Saudi image should not deflect attention from these horrendous crimes,"&nbsp;said Nadia Hardman, refugee and migrant rights researcher at the institute.&nbsp;

“I cover violence at borders, but I have never come across something of this nature, the use of explosive weapons including against women and children,” she added.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/migration-through-panamas-perilous-darien-gap-hits-all-time-high-627095">Watch |&nbsp;Migration through Panama's perilous Darien Gap hits all-time high</a>

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<h2>Report matches the UN version</h2>

The report corroborates the letter written by the&nbsp;UN Special Rapporteurs to the Saudi government last year. The letter alleged the killing of hundreds of migrants during a period of four months in 2022.&nbsp;&nbsp;

"We have received concerning allegations of cross-border artillery shelling and small arms fire allegedly by Saudi security forces causing the deaths of up to 430 and injuring 650 migrants, including refugees and asylum seekers, in Sa'dah governorate, Yemen, and Jizan province, Saudi Arabia, between 1 January and 30 April 2022," read the letter.&nbsp;

At the time, the Saudi government said it took the allegations seriously but strongly rejected them.&nbsp;

"Based on the limited information provided, authorities within the Kingdom have discovered no information or evidence to confirm or substantiate the allegations," the kingdom said.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

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A new report by Human Rights Watch (HRW) has accused the Saudi border guards of undertaking mass killings of migrants along the Yemeni border. The report claims that hundreds of migrants, the majority of them being Ethiopians, were gunned down while attempting to cross war-torn Yemen to reach Saudi Arabia.

A new report by Human Rights Watch (HRW) has accused the Saudi border guards of undertaking mass killings of migrants along the Yemeni border. The report claims that hundreds of migrants, the majority of them being Ethiopians, were gunned down while attempting to cross war-torn Yemen to reach Saudi Arabia. The 73-page report titled "They Fired On Us Like Rain" contains the testimony of the migrants who say they were shot at using guns and targeted using explosive weapons as well. The Saudi border guards did not even spare women and children and often took sadistic pleasure in asking migrants, what limb they wanted to get shot at, the report claims. To publish the report, HRW interviewed as many as 42 migrants, including 38 Ethiopians who attempted to cross the Yemen-Saudi border between March 2022 and June 2023. The organisation also analysed over 350 videos and photographs posted on social media and other sources. “I saw people killed in a way I have never imagined,” Hamdiya. I saw 30 killed people on the spot," Hamdiya, a 14-year-old girl who crossed the border, told the researchers. Notably, the deadly attacks on Ethiopians continue despite over 750,000 of them living and working in Saudi Arabia. While a significant portion of Ethiopians migrate for economic reasons, a number of them have fled because of serious human rights abuses in the country, including during the recent, brutal armed conflict in the north. Also read | War in Yemen may be over, peace still needs to be won Never seen such violence: Researchers The researchers at the institute said it is impossible to know the precise number of migrants killed but gave a ballpark figure of over 650. “Spending billions buying up professional golf, football clubs, and major entertainment events to improve the Saudi image should not deflect attention from these horrendous crimes," said Nadia Hardman, refugee and migrant rights researcher at the institute. “I cover violence at borders, but I have never come across something of this nature, the use of explosive weapons including against women and children,” she added. Watch | Migration through Panama's perilous Darien Gap hits all-time high × Report matches the UN version The report corroborates the letter written by the UN Special Rapporteurs to the Saudi government last year. The letter alleged the killing of hundreds of migrants during a period of four months in 2022. "We have received concerning allegations of cross-border artillery shelling and small arms fire allegedly by Saudi security forces causing the deaths of up to 430 and injuring 650 migrants, including refugees and asylum seekers, in Sa'dah governorate, Yemen, and Jizan province, Saudi Arabia, between 1 January and 30 April 2022," read the letter. At the time, the Saudi government said it took the allegations seriously but strongly rejected them. "Based on the limited information provided, authorities within the Kingdom have discovered no information or evidence to confirm or substantiate the allegations," the kingdom said. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

Hundreds of migrants crossing border killed by Saudi Arabia, claims report

In Ethiopia's Amhara region, an airstrike has killed at least 26 people, while more than 50&nbsp;are estimated to be wounded in the attack. The attack that occurred on Sunday morning (August 13th) in Finote Selam, a town in Amhara’s West Gojjam zone, is the latest instance of violence in Ethiopia's second-biggest state.

<h2>The deadliest single episode</h2>

Talking to The Guardian, hospital officials said that 26 people have died. They also shared a tally of people injured in the attack that, as per the report, is one of the deadliest single episodes since August — when violence erupted in the region.

Residents of the area told the Guardian that the attack was targeted at members of the Fano ethnic militia, who were gathered in the town's centre. However, in the process, many bystanders were hurt. As of now, it is unclear how many of the victims are civilians.&nbsp;

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/russia-claims-it-scrambled-mig-29-to-thwart-norways-attempt-of-potential-border-breach-625446">Russia claims it scrambled MiG-29 to thwart Norway's attempt of potential border breach</a>

"22 bodies were brought to the hospital, while four others who were critically injured died soon after arriving in the hospital," in Finote Selam, said a hospital official while talking to AFP.

"We've so far received 55 injured patients, out of which more than 40 are gravely injured,"&nbsp;added the hospital official, speaking anonymously over safety concerns.

A resident told the news agency that he had "helped in the burial of bodies of 30 victims,"&nbsp;and that&nbsp;he saw "a medium-sized freight vehicle had been completely destroyed in an air strike with dead bodies strewn around the vehicle".

<h2>Fano militia</h2>

There are worries that Northern Ethiopia may be on the brink of war. This comes as the Fano militia has seized control of several towns across Amhara, where the Monday attack happened.

According to the Guardian report, the militia has been breaking out prison inmates, trashing government offices and looting weapons from police stations.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/latvian-pm-krisjanis-karins-announces-resignation-amid-coalition-struggles-625363">Latvian PM Krisjanis Karins announces resignation amid coalition struggles</a>

Responding to the Fano militia activities, authorities have shut off the internet and declared a state of emergency. On Wednesday, the authorities claimed they have taken back control of Amhara's towns. They also said that services would soon resume. However, as per the reports, observers have voiced fears that the militia may be planning a guerrilla campaign. There are reports of tanks rolling through major towns, including Bahir Dar, the regional capital, and the use of artillery in civilian neighbourhoods.

(With inputs from agencies)

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In Ethiopia's Amhara region, an airstrike has killed at least 26 people, while more than 50 are estimated to be wounded in the attack. The attack that occurred on Sunday morning (August 13th) in Finote Selam, a town in Amhara’s West Gojjam zone, is the latest instance of violence in Ethiopia's second-biggest state.

In Ethiopia's Amhara region, an airstrike has killed at least 26 people, while more than 50 are estimated to be wounded in the attack. The attack that occurred on Sunday morning (August 13th) in Finote Selam, a town in Amhara’s West Gojjam zone, is the latest instance of violence in Ethiopia's second-biggest state. The deadliest single episode Talking to The Guardian, hospital officials said that 26 people have died. They also shared a tally of people injured in the attack that, as per the report, is one of the deadliest single episodes since August — when violence erupted in the region. Residents of the area told the Guardian that the attack was targeted at members of the Fano ethnic militia, who were gathered in the town's centre. However, in the process, many bystanders were hurt. As of now, it is unclear how many of the victims are civilians. Also read | Russia claims it scrambled MiG-29 to thwart Norway's attempt of potential border breach "22 bodies were brought to the hospital, while four others who were critically injured died soon after arriving in the hospital," in Finote Selam, said a hospital official while talking to AFP. "We've so far received 55 injured patients, out of which more than 40 are gravely injured," added the hospital official, speaking anonymously over safety concerns. A resident told the news agency that he had "helped in the burial of bodies of 30 victims," and that he saw "a medium-sized freight vehicle had been completely destroyed in an air strike with dead bodies strewn around the vehicle". Fano militia There are worries that Northern Ethiopia may be on the brink of war. This comes as the Fano militia has seized control of several towns across Amhara, where the Monday attack happened. According to the Guardian report, the militia has been breaking out prison inmates, trashing government offices and looting weapons from police stations. Also read | Latvian PM Krisjanis Karins announces resignation amid coalition struggles Responding to the Fano militia activities, authorities have shut off the internet and declared a state of emergency. On Wednesday, the authorities claimed they have taken back control of Amhara's towns. They also said that services would soon resume. However, as per the reports, observers have voiced fears that the militia may be planning a guerrilla campaign. There are reports of tanks rolling through major towns, including Bahir Dar, the regional capital, and the use of artillery in civilian neighbourhoods. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Airstrike in Ethiopia's Amhara kills 26, 'gravely' injures more than 50 people

Ethiopia is scrambling under a crisis stemming from power struggle in several regions of the country, especially Amhara. The nation stares at uncertainty as it declares a 6-month emergency in Amhara over growing militia influence and frequent spurts of violence. Is Ethiopia spiralling into a much bigger security crisis?

Ethiopia declares emergency in Amhara region

The Ethiopian government on Friday (August 4) declared a six-month state of emergency in the Amhara region following clashes between the country's military and local Fano militiamen.

The Ethiopian government on Friday (August 4) declared a six-month state of emergency in the Amhara region following clashes between the country's military and local Fano militiamen. In a statement, Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed's office said, "It was found necessary to declare a state of emergency as it had become difficult to control this outrageous activity based on the regular legal system." Fighting has been going on for several days between the military and the Fano militia. Fano fighters backed the military during a two-year civil war in the neighbouring Tigray region that ended last November, but a simmering feud in recent months has burst into the open this week. On Thursday, the region's government asked federal authorities to take appropriate measures in response to the intensifying clashes. What powers does govt have during emergency period? According to a report by the news agency Reuters late Friday, the six-month emergency allows the Ethiopian government to impose curfews, restrict movement, and ban public gatherings. The government also has the power to ban the carrying of guns and other sharp objects, make arrests and conduct searches without warrants. In a statement posted on X, formerly called Twitter, the government communication service said that the government could also close or limit the movements of media outlets it deems to be operating contrary to the emergency orders. For now, the emergency order is only for Amhara but could be imposed in other areas if needed. Intense fighting reported near university, mobile internet suspended Two residents of Amhara's second-biggest city, Gondar said on Friday that intense fighting took place the previous day near the university. Speaking to Reuters, one of the residents said, "ENDF ( Ethiopian National Defence Force) first controlled the university, but they were pushed back by Fano. They were trying to advance to the centre of the city, but they couldn't." The second resident, who is also a local official, said the military pulled back from the university but did not say why. Education Minister Berhanu Nega told a news conference that 16,000 students in Gondar were unable to do their leaving exams on Thursday. A member from the Fano militia, meanwhile, said the militiamen were trying to encircle Amhara's capital Bahir Dar, adding they had captured Merawi, a town 30 kilometres south of Bahir Dar. Mobile internet was also suspended in Gondar. Meanwhile, Ethiopian Airlines cancelled flights to three of the four airports it flies to in Amhara, an airline spokesperson said. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Ethiopia: Govt declares six-month state of emergency in Amhara following clashes

The Ethiopian government, on Friday (August 4), declared a state of emergency after clashes in the country’s Amhara region. The decision by the country’s Council of Ministers comes as regional authorities pleaded for help as clashes intensified between regional forces and the military over the last few days.&nbsp;

<h2>About the state of emergency</h2>

Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s office released a statement that said, “It was found necessary to declare a state of emergency as it had become difficult to control this outrageous activity based on the regular legal system.”&nbsp;

However, it did not mention if the restriction applied only in Amhara or across the country. “The threat the activity is imposing on national security and public peace is increasing day by day,” the declaration added, noting severe economic damage as well and blaming “armed extremist groups.”

In line with the declaration, the Ethiopian government has banned public gatherings, allowed them to make arrests without warrants, and imposed curfews.&nbsp;

<h2>What happened in Ethiopia’s Amhara region?</h2>

Earlier this week, fighting broke out across Ethiopia’s second most populous region prompting the regional government on Thursday to request additional help from federal authorities to reimpose order.&nbsp;

In a letter to the Ethiopian PM, regional authorities asked the government to take “appropriate measures” as the disturbances are “causing serious economic, social and humanitarian damage”.

On Tuesday and Wednesday, clashes erupted between the Fano, a part-time militia with no formal command structure, and the Ethiopian National Defense Force (ENDF) near Debre Tabor, which has turned into a security crisis. The clashes, earlier this week were confirmed by a doctor at a hospital in the town as well as a police officer, who spoke to Reuters on the condition of anonymity.

Notably, Fano which also draws volunteers from the local population was once a key ally of the ENDF during the Tigray war but the relationship has recently soured amid efforts of the federal authorities to weaken regional paramilitary groups.&nbsp;

The region has been gripped by instability since April after the government moved to disarm Amhara’s security forces following the end of the two-year civil war in the neighbouring Tigray. Authorities have also previously tried to dismantle the informal Amhara militia.&nbsp;

According to media reports, residents have reported fighting across the region as militia members attacked army units and protesters blocked roads. In light of recent violence, flights to the popular tourist towns of Lalibela and Gondar, have been suspended.&nbsp;

Residents said that the internet access in the region has been down. Ethiopian Airlines had cancelled flights to three of the four airports it flies to in Amhara, as per Reuters. The media report citing two residents also reported intense fighting between Fano and ENDF in Gondar.&nbsp;

“ENDF first controlled the university, but they were pushed back by Fano. They were trying to advance to the centre of the city, but they couldn’t,” a resident told Reuters.&nbsp;

Similarly, a Fano member also told the news agency that the militiamen were trying to encircle Amhara’s capital Bahir Dar and had captured Merawi, a town 30 kilometres south of the regional capital.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp; 
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The Ethiopian government, on Friday (August 4), declared a state of emergency after clashes in the country’s Amhara region. The decision by the country’s Council of Ministers comes as regional authorities pleaded for help as clashes intensified between regional forces and the military over the last few days.

The Ethiopian government, on Friday (August 4), declared a state of emergency after clashes in the country’s Amhara region. The decision by the country’s Council of Ministers comes as regional authorities pleaded for help as clashes intensified between regional forces and the military over the last few days. About the state of emergency Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s office released a statement that said, “It was found necessary to declare a state of emergency as it had become difficult to control this outrageous activity based on the regular legal system.” However, it did not mention if the restriction applied only in Amhara or across the country. “The threat the activity is imposing on national security and public peace is increasing day by day,” the declaration added, noting severe economic damage as well and blaming “armed extremist groups.” In line with the declaration, the Ethiopian government has banned public gatherings, allowed them to make arrests without warrants, and imposed curfews. What happened in Ethiopia’s Amhara region? Earlier this week, fighting broke out across Ethiopia’s second most populous region prompting the regional government on Thursday to request additional help from federal authorities to reimpose order. In a letter to the Ethiopian PM, regional authorities asked the government to take “appropriate measures” as the disturbances are “causing serious economic, social and humanitarian damage”. On Tuesday and Wednesday, clashes erupted between the Fano, a part-time militia with no formal command structure, and the Ethiopian National Defense Force (ENDF) near Debre Tabor, which has turned into a security crisis. The clashes, earlier this week were confirmed by a doctor at a hospital in the town as well as a police officer, who spoke to Reuters on the condition of anonymity. Notably, Fano which also draws volunteers from the local population was once a key ally of the ENDF during the Tigray war but the relationship has recently soured amid efforts of the federal authorities to weaken regional paramilitary groups. The region has been gripped by instability since April after the government moved to disarm Amhara’s security forces following the end of the two-year civil war in the neighbouring Tigray. Authorities have also previously tried to dismantle the informal Amhara militia. According to media reports, residents have reported fighting across the region as militia members attacked army units and protesters blocked roads. In light of recent violence, flights to the popular tourist towns of Lalibela and Gondar, have been suspended. Residents said that the internet access in the region has been down. Ethiopian Airlines had cancelled flights to three of the four airports it flies to in Amhara, as per Reuters. The media report citing two residents also reported intense fighting between Fano and ENDF in Gondar. “ENDF first controlled the university, but they were pushed back by Fano. They were trying to advance to the centre of the city, but they couldn’t,” a resident told Reuters. Similarly, a Fano member also told the news agency that the militiamen were trying to encircle Amhara’s capital Bahir Dar and had captured Merawi, a town 30 kilometres south of the regional capital. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Ethiopia declares state of emergency after clashes in Amhara region

The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) said on Thursday it was suspending food aid to Ethiopia because its donations were being diverted from people in need.

A spokesperson said in a statement that USAID had determined, in coordination with the Ethiopian government, that a "widespread and coordinated campaign is diverting food assistance from the people of Ethiopia".

The statement did not say who was behind the campaign.

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The United States is by far the largest humanitarian donor to Ethiopia, where more than 20 million people need food aid, most of them due to drought and a recently-concluded war in the northern Tigray region.

According to an internal briefing by a group of foreign donors to Ethiopia seen by Reuters, USAID believes the food has been diverted to Ethiopian military units.

"The scheme appears to be orchestrated by federal and regional government entities, with military units across the country benefiting from humanitarian assistance," said the document from the Humanitarian and Resilience Donor Group (HRDG), which includes USAID.

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Spokespeople for the Ethiopian government and military did not immediately respond to requests for comment. USAID declined to comment on the report.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken discussed the issue on Thursday with Ethiopian Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Demeke Mekonnen on the margins of a conference in Saudi Arabia.

The State Department said afterwards that Blinken welcomed a commitment by Ethiopia's government to work with the United States to conduct a full investigation.

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The USAID spokesperson said the agency intended to resume food assistance as soon as it was confident in the integrity of the system.

USAID and the U.N. World Food Programme (WFP) had already suspended food aid to the northern Ethiopian region of Tigray last month in response to information that large amounts of aid there were being diverted.

A two-year war in Tigray between the federal government and forces led by the region's dominant political party ended in a truce in November after killing tens of thousands of people and creating famine-like conditions for hundreds of thousands.

In the 2022 fiscal year, USAID disbursed nearly $1.5 billion in humanitarian assistance to Ethiopia, most of it food aid.

The HRDG briefing document, which was circulated among donors on Wednesday, recommended that Ethiopia's government allow donors to deliver aid through "alternative modalities" like cash transfers.

It also urged donors to call on Ethiopia's government to make a public statement condemning the diversion and demanding that aid workers not be harassed.

Ethiopia's food crisis has deepened in recent years as a result of the war in Tigray and the Horn of Africa's worst drought in decades.

WFP is also investigating "systemic" food diversion across Ethiopia, according to an email sent last week by the agency's deputy director to staff in Ethiopia.

A WFP spokesperson did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

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The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) said on Thursday it was suspending food aid to Ethiopia because its donations were being diverted from people in need.

The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) said on Thursday it was suspending food aid to Ethiopia because its donations were being diverted from people in need. A spokesperson said in a statement that USAID had determined, in coordination with the Ethiopian government, that a "widespread and coordinated campaign is diverting food assistance from the people of Ethiopia". The statement did not say who was behind the campaign. Also Read | AI 'nuclear weapon of software': WION speaks to DeepAI founder Kevin Baragona The United States is by far the largest humanitarian donor to Ethiopia, where more than 20 million people need food aid, most of them due to drought and a recently-concluded war in the northern Tigray region. According to an internal briefing by a group of foreign donors to Ethiopia seen by Reuters, USAID believes the food has been diverted to Ethiopian military units. "The scheme appears to be orchestrated by federal and regional government entities, with military units across the country benefiting from humanitarian assistance," said the document from the Humanitarian and Resilience Donor Group (HRDG), which includes USAID. Also Read | Anti-gay protests in Los Angeles after school votes on recognizing June as Pride month Spokespeople for the Ethiopian government and military did not immediately respond to requests for comment. USAID declined to comment on the report. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken discussed the issue on Thursday with Ethiopian Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Demeke Mekonnen on the margins of a conference in Saudi Arabia. The State Department said afterwards that Blinken welcomed a commitment by Ethiopia's government to work with the United States to conduct a full investigation. Watch | CNN Chairman and CEO Chris Licht quits × The USAID spokesperson said the agency intended to resume food assistance as soon as it was confident in the integrity of the system. USAID and the U.N. World Food Programme (WFP) had already suspended food aid to the northern Ethiopian region of Tigray last month in response to information that large amounts of aid there were being diverted. A two-year war in Tigray between the federal government and forces led by the region's dominant political party ended in a truce in November after killing tens of thousands of people and creating famine-like conditions for hundreds of thousands. In the 2022 fiscal year, USAID disbursed nearly $1.5 billion in humanitarian assistance to Ethiopia, most of it food aid. The HRDG briefing document, which was circulated among donors on Wednesday, recommended that Ethiopia's government allow donors to deliver aid through "alternative modalities" like cash transfers. It also urged donors to call on Ethiopia's government to make a public statement condemning the diversion and demanding that aid workers not be harassed. Ethiopia's food crisis has deepened in recent years as a result of the war in Tigray and the Horn of Africa's worst drought in decades. WFP is also investigating "systemic" food diversion across Ethiopia, according to an email sent last week by the agency's deputy director to staff in Ethiopia. A WFP spokesperson did not immediately respond to a request for comment. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here. ×

US suspends food aid to Ethiopia, says it's not reaching needy

Priests and lay worshippers in Ethiopia are on a mission to replicate or recreate centuries-old religious manuscripts and sacred artwork in an effort to preserve traditions and heritage. How are they doing that?

Ethiopians recreate ancient manuscripts

Ethiopia witnessed a sixth day of turmoil on Tuesday as several people in the Amhara region were shot during demonstrations against federal government plans to integrate local defence forces into the police and national army. Amhara is the second biggest of Ethiopia's 11 regions and has been shrouded by days of protests against the government's plans. Protesters say the move would leave Amhara vulnerable to attack from other regions.

The protests present a fresh security challenge to Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed's government after it signed a truce with Tigrayan leaders to end a devastating two-year war in the neighbouring Tigray region last November&nbsp;

Violent clashes were seen in Kombolcha, residents said. Kombolcha Mayor Mohammed Amin said that clashes erupted after rumours spread that federal soldiers had abducted some members of the Amhara regional force.&nbsp;

"There were those who were injured from stones, and gunshots and were taken to hospital. It includes the members of the city security, ENDF (federal army) and the protesters," he said.

Meanwhile, a Kombolcha resident, on condition of anonymity, told Reuters that federal soldiers did try to arrest regional troops, leading protesters to intervene. He said he saw the bodies of five people killed by gunshots and 10 others who were wounded.

At least 12 of those injured in Kombolcha were received at a hospital in Dessie, a doctor said, adding that he heard that others had died.

The number of those dead from the violence is not known yet.&nbsp;

Just a day earlier, an explosion occurred at a bar in the regional capital Bahir Dar, killing two people and wounding several others, according to a police officer. It was unclear what caused the explosion or whether it was linked to the protests.

The United Nations World Food Programme has suspended food deliveries in Amhara, citing the security situation.

Two aid workers from Catholic Relief Services were shot and killed earlier on Sunday. The Ethiopia Red Cross also reported incidents of violence on Tuesday, saying that unidentified gunmen shot and wounded a midwife and an ambulance driver elsewhere in Amhara.

(With inputs from agencies)

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Ethiopia witnessed a sixth day of turmoil on Tuesday as several people in the Amhara region were shot during demonstrations against federal government plans to integrate local defence forces into the police and national army.

Ethiopia witnessed a sixth day of turmoil on Tuesday as several people in the Amhara region were shot during demonstrations against federal government plans to integrate local defence forces into the police and national army. Amhara is the second biggest of Ethiopia's 11 regions and has been shrouded by days of protests against the government's plans. Protesters say the move would leave Amhara vulnerable to attack from other regions. The protests present a fresh security challenge to Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed's government after it signed a truce with Tigrayan leaders to end a devastating two-year war in the neighbouring Tigray region last November Violent clashes were seen in Kombolcha, residents said. Kombolcha Mayor Mohammed Amin said that clashes erupted after rumours spread that federal soldiers had abducted some members of the Amhara regional force. "There were those who were injured from stones, and gunshots and were taken to hospital. It includes the members of the city security, ENDF (federal army) and the protesters," he said. Meanwhile, a Kombolcha resident, on condition of anonymity, told Reuters that federal soldiers did try to arrest regional troops, leading protesters to intervene. He said he saw the bodies of five people killed by gunshots and 10 others who were wounded. At least 12 of those injured in Kombolcha were received at a hospital in Dessie, a doctor said, adding that he heard that others had died. The number of those dead from the violence is not known yet. Just a day earlier, an explosion occurred at a bar in the regional capital Bahir Dar, killing two people and wounding several others, according to a police officer. It was unclear what caused the explosion or whether it was linked to the protests. The United Nations World Food Programme has suspended food deliveries in Amhara, citing the security situation. Two aid workers from Catholic Relief Services were shot and killed earlier on Sunday. The Ethiopia Red Cross also reported incidents of violence on Tuesday, saying that unidentified gunmen shot and wounded a midwife and an ambulance driver elsewhere in Amhara. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Ethiopia's Amhara witnesses violent clashes over government's plans for local defence forces

The governments of&nbsp;Ethiopia&nbsp;and Eritrea on Tuesday angrily rejected US claims their forces had committed war crimes and crimes against humanity during the devastating two-year war in Tigray.

Ethiopia's foreign ministry branded the allegations made by US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Monday as "partisan" and "inflammatory".

And several hours later, the Eritrea foreign ministry issued a statement describing them as "unsubstantiated and defamatory".

Blinken, who last week made his first visit to&nbsp;Ethiopia&nbsp;since a November 2022 peace deal silenced the guns in northern&nbsp;Ethiopia, accused all parties to the conflict of committing war crimes.

But he singled out Ethiopian, Eritrean and regional Amhara forces for crimes against humanity, without mentioning the rebel Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF).

Blinken said the State Department had carried out a "careful review of the law and the facts" and concluded that war crimes were committed by federal troops from both&nbsp;Ethiopia, its ally Eritrea and Amhara as well as the TPLF.

"Many of these actions were not random or a mere byproduct of war. They were calculated and deliberate," Blinken said as he presented an annual human rights report.

He said the State Department also found crimes against humanity by Ethiopian, Eritrean and Amhara forces, including killings and sexual violence, although he did not mention the TPLF.

Ethiopia's foreign ministry said the US statement "unfairly apportions blame among different parties in the conflict".

"The statement appears to exonerate one party from certain allegations of human rights violations such as rape and other forms of sexual violence despite the clear and overwhelming evidence about its culpability," it said.

"This partisan and divisive approach from the US is ill-advised," it added, calling it "unwarranted".

Asmara issued a similarly strong statement, saying the US allegations constituted a "continuation of unwarranted hostility and demonisation that US administrations have pursued against Eritrea since 2009 to advance their ulterior political agendas".

The foreign ministry charged that a "litany of TPLF's crimes... were deliberately downplayed and glossed over" by the United States. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

TPLF officials did not respond to AFP requests for comment about the US report.

Blinken had called for accountability during his trip to Addis Ababa, where he held an unusually long meeting with Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed and spoke separately with senior TPLF leader Getachew Reda.

But he did not directly mention war crimes or crimes against humanity and sounded upbeat about the prospects for peace during his visit.

The conflict badly soured US relations with&nbsp;Ethiopia, Africa's second most populous nation and long one of Washington's major partners on the continent.

Abiy had earlier voiced anger when Blinken during the war spoke more generally about crimes against humanity, and the Ethiopian leader has rejected UN-led efforts for a probe.

On Tuesday, the foreign ministry said Washington's statement "undercuts the support of the US for an inclusive peace process".

The United States has estimated that some 500,000 people died in the two-year conflict, making it one of the deadliest wars of the 21st century and dwarfing the toll from Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

The war began in November 2020 when the TPLF, once the major powerbroker in&nbsp;Ethiopia, attacked military installations in the Tigray, triggering a major counter-offensive.

As allegations of atrocities mounted, the US imposed sanctions on Eritrea, an authoritarian state whose relations with Washington were already poor, and booted&nbsp;Ethiopia&nbsp;from a major trade pact, although it held back on further action against the warring parties.

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The governments of Ethiopia and Eritrea on Tuesday angrily rejected US claims their forces had committed war crimes and crimes against humanity during the devastating two-year war in Tigray.

The governments of Ethiopia and Eritrea on Tuesday angrily rejected US claims their forces had committed war crimes and crimes against humanity during the devastating two-year war in Tigray. Ethiopia's foreign ministry branded the allegations made by US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Monday as "partisan" and "inflammatory". And several hours later, the Eritrea foreign ministry issued a statement describing them as "unsubstantiated and defamatory". Blinken, who last week made his first visit to Ethiopia since a November 2022 peace deal silenced the guns in northern Ethiopia, accused all parties to the conflict of committing war crimes. But he singled out Ethiopian, Eritrean and regional Amhara forces for crimes against humanity, without mentioning the rebel Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF). Blinken said the State Department had carried out a "careful review of the law and the facts" and concluded that war crimes were committed by federal troops from both Ethiopia, its ally Eritrea and Amhara as well as the TPLF. "Many of these actions were not random or a mere byproduct of war. They were calculated and deliberate," Blinken said as he presented an annual human rights report. He said the State Department also found crimes against humanity by Ethiopian, Eritrean and Amhara forces, including killings and sexual violence, although he did not mention the TPLF. Ethiopia's foreign ministry said the US statement "unfairly apportions blame among different parties in the conflict". "The statement appears to exonerate one party from certain allegations of human rights violations such as rape and other forms of sexual violence despite the clear and overwhelming evidence about its culpability," it said. "This partisan and divisive approach from the US is ill-advised," it added, calling it "unwarranted". Asmara issued a similarly strong statement, saying the US allegations constituted a "continuation of unwarranted hostility and demonisation that US administrations have pursued against Eritrea since 2009 to advance their ulterior political agendas". The foreign ministry charged that a "litany of TPLF's crimes... were deliberately downplayed and glossed over" by the United States. TPLF officials did not respond to AFP requests for comment about the US report. Blinken had called for accountability during his trip to Addis Ababa, where he held an unusually long meeting with Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed and spoke separately with senior TPLF leader Getachew Reda. But he did not directly mention war crimes or crimes against humanity and sounded upbeat about the prospects for peace during his visit. The conflict badly soured US relations with Ethiopia, Africa's second most populous nation and long one of Washington's major partners on the continent. Abiy had earlier voiced anger when Blinken during the war spoke more generally about crimes against humanity, and the Ethiopian leader has rejected UN-led efforts for a probe. On Tuesday, the foreign ministry said Washington's statement "undercuts the support of the US for an inclusive peace process". The United States has estimated that some 500,000 people died in the two-year conflict, making it one of the deadliest wars of the 21st century and dwarfing the toll from Russia's invasion of Ukraine. The war began in November 2020 when the TPLF, once the major powerbroker in Ethiopia, attacked military installations in the Tigray, triggering a major counter-offensive. As allegations of atrocities mounted, the US imposed sanctions on Eritrea, an authoritarian state whose relations with Washington were already poor, and booted Ethiopia from a major trade pact, although it held back on further action against the warring parties. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Ethiopia and Eritrea reject US war crimes charges

In Global Round-Up by WION, we bring you news from around the world. In today's edition - Blinken all set to meet Ethiopia's Abiy in a bid to renew ties, UN officials working to renew Black Sea grain deal and strike grips Sri Lanka as Unions protest IMF bailout.

Blinken to meet Ethiopia's Abiy; UN officials work on renewing Black Sea deal | WION Global Round-up

A group of Ethiopian-Israeli schoolgirls filmed their teachers making fun of them in an online group chat while on a field trip. The teachers were texting each other in a WhatsApp group named Black School Trip when the girls noticed them doing so.

There are around 150,000 people of Ethiopian descent who lives in Israel. Ethiopian Jews have had a difficult time integrating into Israeli society. They face challenges such as rates of unemployment and prejudice.&nbsp;However, things have started to look up in recent years but this incident has left open the faultlines once again.&nbsp;

The racism incident occurred last Monday. A religious high school in Netivot in southern Israel had sent their teachers and students on a three-day trip.&nbsp;Girls seated behind one of the teachers saw the group chat messages. It had included insulting remarks directed against the Ethiopian-Israeli students.

Without the teacher's knowledge, the girl recorded&nbsp;the texts over a teacher's shoulder and later uploaded it on social media in a message that included images of the offending statements.

They called the teachers "a disgrace".&nbsp;

Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/isro-officials-and-bhutan-government-inaugurate-ground-station-of-indo-bhutan-satellite-571821">ISRO officials and Bhutan government inaugurate ground station of Indo-Bhutan satellite</a>

The event is being investigated, and the teachers were suspended after the matter came to light.&nbsp;The Israeli teachers have also issued an apology.

"Good morning to all the 'educators' of this school," the girl wrote while sharing the images she clicked.

"It saddens me as a member of the [Ethiopian] community to see the level you sank to today. Instead of being our teachers and setting an example and making us feel like we're in our safest place, you did the exact opposite."

"Opening a group called 'Black School Trip' without even realising that there were students behind you and mocking your students? I see the photos, and I just don't believe that they come from our teachers. You are a disgrace, I'm ashamed that you're our teachers and that you're teaching the future generation."

The school's headmaster termed the incident a "shock and devastation to miserable and extremely offensive comments from teachers about Ethiopian students who study in the school". "The school management looks at these comments severely. There is no place for racist comments, and we won't allow them in our school."

Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/indias-top-court-to-decide-on-increased-compensation-for-1984-industrial-disaster-victims-571747">India's top court rejects plea on increased compensation for 1984 industrial disaster victims</a>

Israeli Education Minister Yoav Kisch has also condemned the act by the teachers.&nbsp;"The incident will be dealt with severely with all the tools at our disposal," he said. "I'm sorry for the distress that was caused for the students. There will be zero tolerance for these sorts of incidents on my watch."

Watch | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/indonesias-new-capital-at-the-cost-of-environment-571886">Indonesia's new capital at the cost of environment?</a>

Israeli Mossad organised the immigration of Ethiopian Jews through camps for refugees in Sudan. As a consequence, initially roughly 7,000 Ethiopian Jews arrived in Israel. Later, Israeli security services rescued more Jews and brought them in Israel under various operations.&nbsp;&nbsp;

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A group of Ethiopian-Israeli schoolgirls filmed their teachers making fun of them in an online group chat while on a field trip. The teachers were texting each other in a WhatsApp group named Black School Trip when the girls noticed them doing so.

A group of Ethiopian-Israeli schoolgirls filmed their teachers making fun of them in an online group chat while on a field trip. The teachers were texting each other in a WhatsApp group named Black School Trip when the girls noticed them doing so. There are around 150,000 people of Ethiopian descent who lives in Israel. Ethiopian Jews have had a difficult time integrating into Israeli society. They face challenges such as rates of unemployment and prejudice. However, things have started to look up in recent years but this incident has left open the faultlines once again. The racism incident occurred last Monday. A religious high school in Netivot in southern Israel had sent their teachers and students on a three-day trip. Girls seated behind one of the teachers saw the group chat messages. It had included insulting remarks directed against the Ethiopian-Israeli students. Without the teacher's knowledge, the girl recorded the texts over a teacher's shoulder and later uploaded it on social media in a message that included images of the offending statements. They called the teachers "a disgrace". Also Read | ISRO officials and Bhutan government inaugurate ground station of Indo-Bhutan satellite The event is being investigated, and the teachers were suspended after the matter came to light. The Israeli teachers have also issued an apology. "Good morning to all the 'educators' of this school," the girl wrote while sharing the images she clicked. "It saddens me as a member of the [Ethiopian] community to see the level you sank to today. Instead of being our teachers and setting an example and making us feel like we're in our safest place, you did the exact opposite." "Opening a group called 'Black School Trip' without even realising that there were students behind you and mocking your students? I see the photos, and I just don't believe that they come from our teachers. You are a disgrace, I'm ashamed that you're our teachers and that you're teaching the future generation." The school's headmaster termed the incident a "shock and devastation to miserable and extremely offensive comments from teachers about Ethiopian students who study in the school". "The school management looks at these comments severely. There is no place for racist comments, and we won't allow them in our school." Also Read | India's top court rejects plea on increased compensation for 1984 industrial disaster victims Israeli Education Minister Yoav Kisch has also condemned the act by the teachers. "The incident will be dealt with severely with all the tools at our disposal," he said. "I'm sorry for the distress that was caused for the students. There will be zero tolerance for these sorts of incidents on my watch." Watch | Indonesia's new capital at the cost of environment? Israeli Mossad organised the immigration of Ethiopian Jews through camps for refugees in Sudan. As a consequence, initially roughly 7,000 Ethiopian Jews arrived in Israel. Later, Israeli security services rescued more Jews and brought them in Israel under various operations. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Ethiopian students film Israeli teachers chatting on racist WhatsApp group named 'Black School Trip'

After the opening of African Union Summit, the UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres said that the African countries are being denied much needed debt relief. He sought reforms to be structures of international finance to better serve the needs of the developing countries.

African Union Summit in Ethiopia: Antonio Guterres says, 'Reform structures of int'l finance'

As the African Union Summit kick started in Ethiopia on Saturday. A rare diplomatic row ensued as Israeli Envoy was expelled from the venue, the incident took place on the first day of the summit where leaders are discussing the challenges the continent is facing.

African Union summit in Ethiopia; Israeli envoy expelled from AU summit

Ethiopia's capital Addis Ababa is hosting the Annual African Union Summit where deepening security, food crises, and worsening hunger are some of the topics on top of the agenda. This is the summit's 36th session where African leaders are meeting for the summit with the aim of speeding up the rollout of the African continental free trade area.

African Union Summit 2023 in Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa

Ethiopia's capital Addis Ababa is hosting the Annual African Union Summit where deepening security, food crises, and worsening hunger are some of the topics on top of the agenda. This is the summit's 36th session where African leaders are meeting for the summit with the aim of speeding up the rollout of the African continental free trade area. Mohammed Saleh brings you this report.

Ethiopia hosts Annual African Union Summit 2023

Ethiopia’s orthodox Tewahedo church is one of the largest and oldest in africa. But there has been a split within its ranks after three bishops formed their own patriarchate they named “Oromia and nations and nationalities synod” in January. Unrest, divisions, and violence have led to the death of at least 30 people. So what's behind the crisis, and why are bishops bickering?

World of Africa: Split in ethiopia's orthodox church

In South Africa, ransom kidnappings are on the rise and the Ethiopian communities in particular feel that Ethiopian businessmen are being specifically targeted. The community has been staging several demonstrations all across the country. WION correspondent Kalden Ongmu filed this report.

World of Africa: Massive spike in kidnappings in South Africa

The Ethiopian government said on Saturday that it was sending more than USD 90 million to capital of Tigray region. The governemnt &nbsp;is beginning to restore banking services to the war-battered region. The announcement in this regard was made by Redwan Hussein, the national security advisor to Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed. It came after a landmark meeting between the officials of federal government and those of Tigray region.

"As per the decision passed by PM Abiy, National Bank has begun sending five billion Birr to Mekele to be dispensed starting Monday," Redwan said on Twitter.

He also said than by Saturday, Ethiopian Airlines was increasing number of flights to the region from three to five per day.

On Friday, Abiy held his first face-to-face meeting with leaders of the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF) since a peace deal was agreed in November to end two years of devastating conflict in northern Ethiopia.

Under the terms of the pact, the TPLF agreed to disarm and re-establish the authority of the federal government in return for the restoration of access to Tigray, which was largely cut off from the outside world during the war.&nbsp;

Since the deal, there has been some resumption of aid deliveries to Tigray, which has long faced dire shortages of food, fuel, cash and medicines.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

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The Ethiopian government said on Saturday that it was sending more than USD 90 million to capital of Tigray region. The governemnt is beginning to restore banking services to the war-battered region.

The Ethiopian government said on Saturday that it was sending more than USD 90 million to capital of Tigray region. The governemnt is beginning to restore banking services to the war-battered region. The announcement in this regard was made by Redwan Hussein, the national security advisor to Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed. It came after a landmark meeting between the officials of federal government and those of Tigray region. "As per the decision passed by PM Abiy, National Bank has begun sending five billion Birr to Mekele to be dispensed starting Monday," Redwan said on Twitter. He also said than by Saturday, Ethiopian Airlines was increasing number of flights to the region from three to five per day. On Friday, Abiy held his first face-to-face meeting with leaders of the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF) since a peace deal was agreed in November to end two years of devastating conflict in northern Ethiopia. Under the terms of the pact, the TPLF agreed to disarm and re-establish the authority of the federal government in return for the restoration of access to Tigray, which was largely cut off from the outside world during the war. Since the deal, there has been some resumption of aid deliveries to Tigray, which has long faced dire shortages of food, fuel, cash and medicines. (With inputs from agencies) You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here. WATCH WION LIVE HERE ×

Ethiopian government sends funds to Tigray region

US plane maker Boeing pleaded 'not guilty' to a 737 Max fraud felony charge, this after the families to a 2021 justice department agreement to resolve into plane's flawed design and 'not guilty' plea is standard in deferred prosecution agreements.

Boeing 737 Max pleads 'not guilty' in crash fraud case; crashes in Indonesia, Ethiopia killed 346

Large numbers of&nbsp;Eritrean troops have left the town of Shire in Ethiopia's Tigray region where they fought in support of government forces during a two-year civil war, a resident and two humanitarian workers told Reuters on Saturday.

The&nbsp;Eritrean forces' continuing presence in Tigray, despite a November ceasefire agreement between Ethiopia's government and Tigray regional forces that requires the withdrawal of foreign soldiers, is seen as a key obstacle to lasting peace.

The Tigray war is believed to have resulted in tens, if not hundreds, of thousands of deaths and forced millions to flee their homes.

It was not immediately clear if the troops' movements out of Shire, one of Tigray's largest towns, was part of an&nbsp;Eritrean withdrawal from the region or merely a redeployment.

Witnesses and an Ethiopian official reported last month that&nbsp;Eritrean soldiers were leaving Shire and two other major towns, but many ended up staying behind.

Eritrean Information Minister Yemane Gebremeskel did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

A Shire resident said the&nbsp;Eritrean convoys were seen leaving the town from early in the morning until about 5 p.m. on Friday.

"I have counted 300 cars," said the resident, who asked not to be identified for safety reasons. "They left with their heavy weapons too."

A humanitarian worker in Shire, who also requested anonymity, told Reuters he had seen hundreds of cars packed with soldiers headed north towards the border. All&nbsp;Eritrean troops in the town seemed to have left by Friday evening, he said.

A second aid worker said hundreds of&nbsp;Eritrean vehicles had left Shire but that some soldiers remained in the town.

Redwan Hussien, the Ethiopian prime minister's national security advisor and a member of the government's negotiating team, did not respond to a request by Reuters for comment. Neither did Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF) spokesman Getachew Reda.

On Saturday U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken spoke with Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed about the&nbsp;Eritrean troop withdrawal and "welcomed this development, noting that it was key to securing a sustainable peace in northern Ethiopia," according to a statement tweeted by U.S. Department of State spokesperson Ned Price.

During the war,&nbsp;Eritrean troops were accused by residents and human rights groups of various abuses, including the killing of hundreds of civilians in the town of Axum during a 24-hour period in November 2020.&nbsp;Eritrea&nbsp;rejected the accusations.

Eritrea&nbsp;considers the TPLF, which leads Tigrayan forces, its enemy.&nbsp;Eritrea&nbsp;and Ethiopia fought a border war between 1998 and 2000, when the TPLF dominated the federal government.

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Large numbers of Eritrean troops have left the town of Shire in Ethiopia's Tigray region where they fought in support of government forces during a two-year civil war, a resident and two humanitarian workers told Reuters on Saturday.

Large numbers of Eritrean troops have left the town of Shire in Ethiopia's Tigray region where they fought in support of government forces during a two-year civil war, a resident and two humanitarian workers told Reuters on Saturday. The Eritrean forces' continuing presence in Tigray, despite a November ceasefire agreement between Ethiopia's government and Tigray regional forces that requires the withdrawal of foreign soldiers, is seen as a key obstacle to lasting peace. The Tigray war is believed to have resulted in tens, if not hundreds, of thousands of deaths and forced millions to flee their homes. It was not immediately clear if the troops' movements out of Shire, one of Tigray's largest towns, was part of an Eritrean withdrawal from the region or merely a redeployment. Witnesses and an Ethiopian official reported last month that Eritrean soldiers were leaving Shire and two other major towns, but many ended up staying behind. Eritrean Information Minister Yemane Gebremeskel did not immediately respond to requests for comment. A Shire resident said the Eritrean convoys were seen leaving the town from early in the morning until about 5 p.m. on Friday. "I have counted 300 cars," said the resident, who asked not to be identified for safety reasons. "They left with their heavy weapons too." A humanitarian worker in Shire, who also requested anonymity, told Reuters he had seen hundreds of cars packed with soldiers headed north towards the border. All Eritrean troops in the town seemed to have left by Friday evening, he said. A second aid worker said hundreds of Eritrean vehicles had left Shire but that some soldiers remained in the town. Redwan Hussien, the Ethiopian prime minister's national security advisor and a member of the government's negotiating team, did not respond to a request by Reuters for comment. Neither did Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF) spokesman Getachew Reda. On Saturday U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken spoke with Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed about the Eritrean troop withdrawal and "welcomed this development, noting that it was key to securing a sustainable peace in northern Ethiopia," according to a statement tweeted by U.S. Department of State spokesperson Ned Price. During the war, Eritrean troops were accused by residents and human rights groups of various abuses, including the killing of hundreds of civilians in the town of Axum during a 24-hour period in November 2020. Eritrea rejected the accusations. Eritrea considers the TPLF, which leads Tigrayan forces, its enemy. Eritrea and Ethiopia fought a border war between 1998 and 2000, when the TPLF dominated the federal government. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Eritrean troops seen leaving Ethiopian town of Shire

Eritrean soldiers were on Friday (December 30) pulling out of two&nbsp;major towns in Ethiopia's Tigray region, reported Reuters citing witnesses. In Ethiopian civil war, Eritrean troops have fought in support of Ethiopia's federal government.

The withdrawals from Shire and Axum follow a Nov. 2 ceasefire signed by Ethiopia's government and Tigray regional forces that requires the removal of foreign troops from Tigray.

Eritrea, however, was not party to the deal. Presence of Eritrean troops in major population centres in Tigray has raised questions about durability of the accord.&nbsp;

Eritrea's Information Minister Yemane Gebremeskel told Reuters he could neither confirm nor deny the information, while an Ethiopian official, speaking on condition of anonymity, confirmed Eritrean troops were withdrawing from Axum and Shire.

Aid workers in Axum and Shire reportedly saw several trucks and dozens of cars packed with Eritrean soldiers leaving towards border town of Sheraro.

One of the aid workers said all of the Eritrean soldiers had left Shire, but another said that a significant number had remained behind. It was not immediately clear what explained the discrepancy.

Tigray residents have accused the Eritrean soldiers of continuing to loot and arrest and kill civilians after the ceasefire.

Eritrean authorities have not directly responded to the allegations.

During the war, Eritrean troops were accused by residents and human rights groups of various abuses, including the killing of hundreds of civilians in Axum during a 24-hour period in November 2020. Eritrea rejected the accusations.

(With inputs from agencies)

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Eritrean soldiers were on Friday (December 30) pulling out of two major towns in Ethiopia's Tigray region, reported Reuters citing witnesses. In Ethiopian civil war, Eritrean troops have fought in support of Ethiopia's federal government.

Eritrean soldiers were on Friday (December 30) pulling out of two major towns in Ethiopia's Tigray region, reported Reuters citing witnesses. In Ethiopian civil war, Eritrean troops have fought in support of Ethiopia's federal government. The withdrawals from Shire and Axum follow a Nov. 2 ceasefire signed by Ethiopia's government and Tigray regional forces that requires the removal of foreign troops from Tigray. Eritrea, however, was not party to the deal. Presence of Eritrean troops in major population centres in Tigray has raised questions about durability of the accord. Eritrea's Information Minister Yemane Gebremeskel told Reuters he could neither confirm nor deny the information, while an Ethiopian official, speaking on condition of anonymity, confirmed Eritrean troops were withdrawing from Axum and Shire. Aid workers in Axum and Shire reportedly saw several trucks and dozens of cars packed with Eritrean soldiers leaving towards border town of Sheraro. One of the aid workers said all of the Eritrean soldiers had left Shire, but another said that a significant number had remained behind. It was not immediately clear what explained the discrepancy. Tigray residents have accused the Eritrean soldiers of continuing to loot and arrest and kill civilians after the ceasefire. Eritrean authorities have not directly responded to the allegations. During the war, Eritrean troops were accused by residents and human rights groups of various abuses, including the killing of hundreds of civilians in Axum during a 24-hour period in November 2020. Eritrea rejected the accusations. (With inputs from agencies) You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here. WATCH WION LIVE HERE ×

Eritrean soldiers depart major towns in north Ethiopia: Report

Ethiopian inspectors who investigated the Ethiopian Airlines' Boeing 737-MAX&nbsp;crash did not&nbsp;pay enough attention to aspects like crew training and emergency procedures, said US air safety experts. The crash killed nearly 160 people.&nbsp;The United States National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), in dissenting comments included in the Ethiopian report, disagreed with at least two key findings of the investigation into the crash of a Boeing 737-MAX flight.

The crash had resulted in grounding of similar aircrafts from Boeing, an American company.

Fight 302 crashed shortly after take-off from Addis Ababa in March 2019, killing all 157 people on board.

Ethiopia's Aircraft Investigation Bureau, had&nbsp;last Friday, released its long-delayed report. The report said that "uncommanded" inputs from Boeing's Manoeuvring Characteristics Augmentation System (MCAS) were&nbsp;responsible for the crash.

The inputs, which were caused by faulty data from an underlying sensor, sent the plane's nose down repeatedly, leading to loss of control as the pilots tried to deal with several warnings in the cabin, the report said.

The NTSB, however, in its comments, said that it it found the faulty sensor may have been damaged by a bird strike soon after take-off. This assertion was ignored by Ethiopian investigators.

The Ethiopian report said that the country's inspectors didn't find evidence of in-flight damage to sensor due to physical clues like a dead bird.

The NTSB, however, said the sensor was never recovered at the crash site in spite of a partial search by both sides a week after the accident.

Boeing has previously said the MCAS was a safety feature and the issues identified after the crash of flight 302, which followed one of a similar plane in Indonesia five months earlier, have been rectified.

The NTSB also accused their Ethiopian counterparts of focusing on the contributions of the design issues to the accident at the expense of the crew's own training and reaction to the emergency that arose.

"Discussion of crew resource management and performance were still not sufficiently developed in the draft final report," the NTSB said.

In their report, the Ethiopian investigators found that the crew members were licensed and qualified for flight in accordance with the existing Ethiopian Civil Aviation Rules and Standards, but were startled by the unprecedented change of events and "confusing alerts", and blamed it all on the plane's design.

(With inputs from agencies)

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Ethiopian inspectors who investigated the Ethiopian Airlines' Boeing 737-MAX crash did not pay enough attention to aspects like crew training and emergency procedures, said US air safety experts.

Ethiopian inspectors who investigated the Ethiopian Airlines' Boeing 737-MAX crash did not pay enough attention to aspects like crew training and emergency procedures, said US air safety experts. The crash killed nearly 160 people. The United States National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), in dissenting comments included in the Ethiopian report, disagreed with at least two key findings of the investigation into the crash of a Boeing 737-MAX flight. The crash had resulted in grounding of similar aircrafts from Boeing, an American company. Fight 302 crashed shortly after take-off from Addis Ababa in March 2019, killing all 157 people on board. Ethiopia's Aircraft Investigation Bureau, had last Friday, released its long-delayed report. The report said that "uncommanded" inputs from Boeing's Manoeuvring Characteristics Augmentation System (MCAS) were responsible for the crash. The inputs, which were caused by faulty data from an underlying sensor, sent the plane's nose down repeatedly, leading to loss of control as the pilots tried to deal with several warnings in the cabin, the report said. The NTSB, however, in its comments, said that it it found the faulty sensor may have been damaged by a bird strike soon after take-off. This assertion was ignored by Ethiopian investigators. The Ethiopian report said that the country's inspectors didn't find evidence of in-flight damage to sensor due to physical clues like a dead bird. The NTSB, however, said the sensor was never recovered at the crash site in spite of a partial search by both sides a week after the accident. Boeing has previously said the MCAS was a safety feature and the issues identified after the crash of flight 302, which followed one of a similar plane in Indonesia five months earlier, have been rectified. The NTSB also accused their Ethiopian counterparts of focusing on the contributions of the design issues to the accident at the expense of the crew's own training and reaction to the emergency that arose. "Discussion of crew resource management and performance were still not sufficiently developed in the draft final report," the NTSB said. In their report, the Ethiopian investigators found that the crew members were licensed and qualified for flight in accordance with the existing Ethiopian Civil Aviation Rules and Standards, but were startled by the unprecedented change of events and "confusing alerts", and blamed it all on the plane's design. (With inputs from agencies) You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here. WATCH WION LIVE HERE ×

Ethiopia inspectors didn't pay attention to important aspects in Boeing 737-MAX crash: US experts

Ethiopian Airlines has announced the decision to resume flights to Mekele, the rebel-held capital of the country's Tigray region. Watch this video to know more.

Ethiopian Airlines resumes commercial flights in rebel-held Tigray capital

Less than two months after two warring sides in the Ethiopian civil war signed a peace accord, a high-level Ethiopian government delegation made the first visit to the capital of rebel-held Tigray on Monday.&nbsp;

As the two sides applauded the visit, the Tigrayan side said that the talks also aimed at restoring key services in the northern region.

"The delegation is the first of its stature as a high-level federal government body heading to Mekele in two years," the Ethiopian government said in a statement.

"This gesture is an attestation to the peace agreement getting on the right track and progressing," it said.

The team was led by House of Peoples Representatives speaker Tagesse Chafo and included Redwan Hussein, who is the security adviser to Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, as well as the ministers of justice, transport and communication and labour.

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The head of Ethiopia's road infrastructure authority and the heads of Ethiopian Airlines, Ethio Telecom and the Commercial Bank of Ethiopia, representing services Tigray desperately lacks, were also present, the government said.

Chafo hailed "the discussions we had, the reception we have received as well as the moments we spent together, there is big hope".

Tigrayan spokesman Getachew Reda on Twitter described the visit as "a milestone" in the peace agreement.&nbsp;

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"Fruitful discussions were held and important understanding reached," he said.

Commercial Bank of Ethiopia head Abie Sano said,&nbsp;"system correction and audit works" were to be completed this week so that services could start.

After staying several hours, the officials and CEOs returned to the capital Addis Ababa, but "technical staff are staying here", Getachew said.

Tigrayan leader warns against 'half peace'

Meanwhile, the Tigrayan leader Debretsion Gebremichael warned against a "half-peace" and said medicine supplies to the region remained "very limited".

"We don't want half a peace, where one half (of Tigray) is in peace and the other half is being killed, massacred and invaded," he said. "This siege has to be completely lifted."

Pro-government forces, specifically the troops from Eritrea to the north, and militias from the neighbouring Ethiopian region of Amhara are not mentioned in the peace deal but remain in Tigray, AFP reported.&nbsp;

The rebel authorities, local people and aid workers there have told AFP that these forces have carried out looting, raping, summary executions and abductions.

About the Ethiopian civil war

The war began in November 2020 when Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed sent troops into Tigray after accusing the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF), the ruling party in the region, of attacking the country's army bases.

The United States has estimated that as many as half a million people have died in the now plateauing conflict.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

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Less than two months after two warring sides in the Ethiopian civil war signed a peace accord, a high-level Ethiopian government delegation made the first visit to the capital of rebel-held Tigray on Monday.

Less than two months after two warring sides in the Ethiopian civil war signed a peace accord, a high-level Ethiopian government delegation made the first visit to the capital of rebel-held Tigray on Monday. As the two sides applauded the visit, the Tigrayan side said that the talks also aimed at restoring key services in the northern region. "The delegation is the first of its stature as a high-level federal government body heading to Mekele in two years," the Ethiopian government said in a statement. "This gesture is an attestation to the peace agreement getting on the right track and progressing," it said. The team was led by House of Peoples Representatives speaker Tagesse Chafo and included Redwan Hussein, who is the security adviser to Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, as well as the ministers of justice, transport and communication and labour. ALSO READ | Ethiopian government and Tigray rebels agree to form joint monitory body The head of Ethiopia's road infrastructure authority and the heads of Ethiopian Airlines, Ethio Telecom and the Commercial Bank of Ethiopia, representing services Tigray desperately lacks, were also present, the government said. Chafo hailed "the discussions we had, the reception we have received as well as the moments we spent together, there is big hope". Tigrayan spokesman Getachew Reda on Twitter described the visit as "a milestone" in the peace agreement. WATCH | Ethiopia's PM vows to ensure peace in Tigray, pledges to 'honestly' implement ceasefire × "Fruitful discussions were held and important understanding reached," he said. Commercial Bank of Ethiopia head Abie Sano said, "system correction and audit works" were to be completed this week so that services could start. After staying several hours, the officials and CEOs returned to the capital Addis Ababa, but "technical staff are staying here", Getachew said. Tigrayan leader warns against 'half peace' Meanwhile, the Tigrayan leader Debretsion Gebremichael warned against a "half-peace" and said medicine supplies to the region remained "very limited". "We don't want half a peace, where one half (of Tigray) is in peace and the other half is being killed, massacred and invaded," he said. "This siege has to be completely lifted." Pro-government forces, specifically the troops from Eritrea to the north, and militias from the neighbouring Ethiopian region of Amhara are not mentioned in the peace deal but remain in Tigray, AFP reported. The rebel authorities, local people and aid workers there have told AFP that these forces have carried out looting, raping, summary executions and abductions. About the Ethiopian civil war The war began in November 2020 when Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed sent troops into Tigray after accusing the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF), the ruling party in the region, of attacking the country's army bases. The United States has estimated that as many as half a million people have died in the now plateauing conflict. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Ethiopia hails delegation visit in Tigray region as peace 'milestone'

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