UN voices grave concern over escalation of hostilities in northern Ethiopia

United Nations, October 26: The United Nations remains extremely concerned about the continued escalation of hostilities in northern Ethiopia, including new airstrikes over the weekend in Tigray, said UN humanitarians on Monday.
On Sunday, two airstrikes were reported on a textile factory in Adwa Town in Central Tigray and in May Tsebri Town in North West Tigray. According to reports, three civilians were injured in the airstrike in May Tsebri, said the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).
UN personnel on the ground are verifying the details of the airstrikes and the impact on civilians, said OCHA.
Fighting has also reportedly continued in multiple locations in neighboring Amhara region, to the south of Tigray, the humanitarian office said. The hostilities displaced thousands of people.
The United Nations continues to remind all parties to the conflict of their obligations under international humanitarian law to protect civilians and civilian infrastructure, said OCHA.
The world body also calls on all parties to the conflict to facilitate free and sustained movement of humanitarian workers and supplies in Tigray, Amhara and Afar, to the east of Tigray, it said.
Humanitarian flights to Tigray and other regions in northern Ethiopia remain suspended after airstrikes forced the mid-air turn-around of a UN passenger flight into the Tigrayan capital of Mekelle on Friday, said Stephane Dujarric, spokesman for UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, on Monday.
"Obviously, operating flights in an area ... where there are active airstrikes -- as we've seen a number of them in the last few days -- is a rather dicey proposition. So, until we get the clearances we need and we get the safety environment that we need to operate, flights have yet to resume," said the spokesman.
Source: Xinhua