UNHCR Regional Update #21: Ethiopia Situation (Tigray Region), 6 September 2021

Key Developments

ETHIOPIA

As the Tigray conflict enters its 10th month, the overall security and access situation remains complex and fluid, hindering effective delivery of humanitarian assistance to the most affected populations in Central, SouthernEastern, Eastern, North-Western and Southern Zones. Fresh displacement from fighting in Ethiopia’s Amhara and Afar regions has been recorded as the conflict spreads beyond the Tigray region. In addition to some 2.1 million internally displaced people in Tigray, there are also 250,000 internally displaced people in Amhara region and 112,000 in Afar region according to the local authorities and the UN Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA). Of particular concern is the safety and wellbeing of thousands of Eritrean refugees living in the two Eritrean refugee camps of Mai Aini and Adi Harush in Tigray region, as well as the Berhale camp in Afar region which has been most recently affected by the spread of the conflict.

UNHCR is closely monitoring the situation, particularly the ongoing preparation of the new camp identified in Amhara region for the relocation of Eritrean refugees from Tigray. On 1 September, the Tekeze bridge between Mai Tsebri and Shire, which was earlier destroyed during the conflict, was inaugurated after it was repaired. It will facilitate access to the refugee camps of Mai Aini and Adi Harush from Shire. The bridge is currently only being used by light vehicles; WFP conducted an assessment and concluded that heavy cars/trucks/buses should be able to use the bridge within two weeks.

On 6 September, more than 100 WFP trucks carrying 3,500 metric tons of food and other life-saving materials arrived in Mekelle after weeks of challenges

Source: UN High Commissioner for Refugees