About 4.5 Million People Affected by Terrorist TPLF Incursions in Amhara, Afar Regions
(ENA) About 4.5 million people are affected as a result of the recent attacks by the terrorist TPLF on Amhara and Afar regional states, according to the Office of the Prime Minister.
Briefing the media today, Press Secretary at the Prime Minister Office Billene Seyoum said some 4.5 million people are affected by the incursion of the terrorist group.
The number of displaced people in the two has surpassed 500,000, she said, adding that this requires urgent humanitarian assistance to the displaced communities.
The federal government is closely working with the Afar leadership, elders and the community to facilitate smooth humanitarian assistance.
In addition to the National Emergency Coordination Center, regional emergency coordination centers have been activated in Afar and Amhara regions, the press secretary stated.
So far the government has distributed 482,000 quintals of food for IDPs in Afar region, and the World Food Programme allocated three rounds of food distribution to the displaced in the same region.
Similarly, the government and partners have been providing humanitarian support for people displaced in Amhara region due to the attack by the terrorist TPLF.
However, the support for the people in Amhara and Afar regions requires partners to scale up assistance as many lives have been impacted and also need similar attention, Billene stated.
Furthermore, she revealed that the terrorist group has continued killing civilian communities, looting properties, destroying hospitals and health centres as well as other infrastructure on its destructive path in Amhara and Afar regions.
Speaking on the humanitarian assistance situation Tigray region, the press secretary said 457 humanitarian trucks have been deployed to Tigray as of August 25, 2021 and 418 trucks have already arrived in the regional capital.
Food and non-food items plus agricultural inputs, including fuel, are going to the region through 20 partners that are providing humanitarian assistance.
According to her, over 59 million Birr has been transferred by partners between July 14, 2021 and August, 14, 2021 into the region.
Commenting about grievances that are being raised by international partners when it comes to effective delivery of humanitarian assistance, Billene said it is important to realize the challenges that have been encountered by the government side.
According to her, the challenges are caused because of access blockage which TPLF has continued by attacking humanitarian aid access corridors, food and aid diversion by the terrorists as well as failure to follow the already communicated guidelines.
“We have seen over the past few weeks images that have surfaced showing international humanitarian aid agency food items in the hands of terrorist which indicate that humanitarian assistance are clearly being taken away from civilians in need, and this is done by the TPLF.”
Unfortunately, the press secretary further noted that services to Eritrean refugees in Tigray region remain disrupted, putting the lives of tens of thousands of refugees at stake, Billene noted.
The orchestrated and heinous attacks on Eritrean refugees by the TPLF forces targeting Mai Ayni, Adi Harush, Shimelba and Hitsats camps has resulted in the looting, abduction and killing of refugees.
To address this challenge 91 hectares of land was provided by the Amhara region to setup safe haven to the refugees, the press secretary stated.
Selected partners from the government side are in conversation and agreement to work on food disruption, construction of shelters and site planning underway, it was learned.
But the challenge remains as the TPLF clique hinders safe passage to these refuges to move them out of the conflict zones.
Source: Ethiopia News Agency