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sarcasm
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"The Amharas intensified their raids in Western Tigray recently, leaving several people dead or detained" (Bloomberg)

Post by sarcasm » 03 Dec 2021, 19:42

Armed Raids in Northwest Ethiopia Fill Camps With Displaced

A conflict between two of Ethiopia’s northern states has intensified, with thousands of people in the western Tigray region forced to flee their homes or detained.

About 21,000 displaced people arrived at camps since Nov. 22 as fighters from federal government-aligned Amhara raided parts of western Tigray they claim belong to them, according to people with knowledge of the matter. That number may more than double in weeks, the people said, asking not to be identified because they’re not authorized to publicly discuss the events.

The fighting is an offshoot of the wider yearlong Ethiopian civil war that’s pitted Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed against soldiers loyal to the dissident Tigray People’s Liberation Front.

Abiy is facing mounting pressure from Western governments over the conflict that’s caused a humanitarian crisis with thousands of people dead and about 9.4 million in need of food aid, according to humanitarian agencies. The atrocities, blamed on both the government and the rebels, prompted U.S. President Joe Biden to threaten sanctions in September.

Abiy received a boost this week with a visit from China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi but the conflict has battered investor confidence in what was one of the world’s fastest-growing economies and triggered a sell-off in the nation’s bonds.

The Amharas intensified their raids in western Tigray in recent weeks, leaving several people dead or detained, according to the people. Abiy’s administration, meanwhile, has announced it’s made gains against the rebels whose advance last month raised fears of a potential assault on the capital, Addis Ababa.

There hasn’t been fighting in the rest of Tigray for months after the TPLF had regained control of the region from federal forces.

Continue reading https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles ... -displaced