Ethiopia: Over 100 civilians killed by Eritrean army

By Seleshi Tessema

ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia (AA) - The Ethiopian Human Rights Commission (EHRC) has said over one hundred civilians were killed in Axum, a historic city of Ethiopia's Tigray region, by the Eritrean army.

The damning report on Wednesday came a day after Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed admitted that there were indications of violations of rights that might have involved the Ethiopian federal army and Eritrean forces.

According to the preliminary report of the EHRC, the Eritrean army committed "grave violations of human rights" and the victims were civilians.

"Residents, persons displaced from other parts of Tigray, and visitors from other parts of Ethiopia who came to mark the annual Aksum Tsion celebration, were killed by Eritrean soldiers," the report said.

The report added: "These widespread human rights violations committed by the Eritrean soldiers …in Aksum city …are not ordinary crimes, but constitute grave contraventions of applicable international and human rights.’’

The rights body noted that those behind the violations which also involved lootings and destruction shall be held.

“The [Ethiopian] federal government's announcement that it would commit to a joint investigation by the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights and the Ethiopian Human Rights Commission into human rights violations in Tigray is a step in the right direction,’’ EHRC added.