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Kombolcha massacre

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Kombolcha massacre
Part of the Tigray War
Kombolcha is located in Ethiopia
Kombolcha
Kombolcha
Kombolcha (Ethiopia)
LocationKombolcha, Amhara Region, Ethiopia
Date30 October 2021
TargetAmhara
Attack type
Civilians massacre
  • UN's aid essentials and WFP trucks looted
  • Private and public properties ransacked and looted
  • Dire situation of the Amhara IDPs[1]
  • Impunity[2]
Deaths100+
Perpetrators Tigray Defense Forces

The Kombolcha massacre was the mass extrajudicial and summary execution of over 100 ethnic Amhara civilian youths by the Tigray Defense Forces in South Wollo, in the Amhara Region of Ethiopia.[3][4][5][6] Bodies of the victims were set on fire at a business compound in the town.[7] Kombolcha was described as a key warring location[8][9] and is found on the A2 highway leading into Addis Ababa, where the Tigrayan forces were advancing to the capital. Looting of aid, and private and public properties was also reported. Kombolcha town is the industrial hub of the Amhara region.[10][11][7]

Background

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Further information: Northern Command attacks (Ethiopia)

The TPLF was the ruling party of Ethiopia that ruled the country for 27 years.[12] Regime changes occurred in 2018 in which the TPLF lost control of federal positions while holding power in the Tigray Region. The power struggle between Abiy Ahmed’s regime and the TPLF led to the Tigray War that started after the Ethiopian military's Northern Command was attacked by TPLF in November 2020.[13][14] As the war prolonged, the Tigrayan rebels retook most of Tigray and invaded the Amhara and the Afar regions in July 2021, reportedly massacring civilians and causing severe destructions.[15][16][17][18]

Massacre

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Kombolcha was captured by the Tigray Defense Forces (TDF) in late October 2021. The massacre of ethnic Amhara civilians occurred on 30 October 2021, following the infiltration of the attackers into the town. Residents reported chaotic nights and gunshots.[19][20] The massacre of the 100 youths occurred after a year of continuous fighting in the Tigray War, and with the invasion of Tigray forces into the Amhara region.[16][4][3] Surviving residents reported that they had spent the day in their homes as gunfire shook the town.[21] TDF combatants summarily executed the youths, and reportedly set the victims on fire at a compound of a Turkish-based company.[7] AAA identified partial victim's list and published testimonies.[22]

Fatalities[22]
Killed (partial list of 100+ total victims)
  1. Mohammed Kedir
  2. Anwar Yimam
  3. Kedir Mohammed
  4. Abdu Kebede
  5. Mohammed Yimam
  6. Kedir Abel
  7. Abdurahman Kassa
  8. Said Adu
  9. Kedir Mohammed Ahmed
  10. Kedir Edris Muhe
  11. Wondosen Abate
  12. Tadesse
  13. Belete
  14. Ashenafi Berew
  15. Abdurahman
  16. Kedir Edris Muhie
  17. Mohammed Yesuf Ali
  18. Aziza Kedir
  19. Edris Said
  20. Habiba Yimam
  21. Erozina Ibrahim
  22. Hawa Nuriye
  23. Zeritu Shifferaw
  24. Hayat Said
  25. Hawa Ali
  26. Muahimed

Looting and ransacking

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Tigray forces reportedly looted and ransacked foreign aid essentials, and private and public properties, including the WFP food supplies for malnourished children in Kombolcha. WFP reported that it suspended distributing food aid after Tigray gunmen looted its warehouses, and stole large quantities of essential food supplies while holding aid staff at gunpoint.[10][11] A UN spokesperson also communicated another mass looting in the town, and the additional hijacking of 18 WFP aid trucks by the TPLF forces.[23] The government reported looting and damages to these manufacturing industries in Kombolcha and Dessie: 10 food processing, 11 leather and textile factories, 3 metal processing factories, 11 Agro-processing, and 10 chemical industries. TPLF also destroyed infrastructure and facilities such as schools and health stations.[11][24][25][26]

IDP crisis

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The humanitarian crisis remains dire for Amhara IDPs.[1] Kombolcha and Dessie were already the refugee destinations for millions of Amhara IDPs who fled North Wollo from TPLF attackers.[27] AAA reported the dire situation of the IDPs sheltered in the surroundings of public schools.[28][29] Civic groups expressed concern on the lack of support from government bodies— stated that the IDPs had not been given attention in both Dessie and Kombolcha.[30][1]

Reactions

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State of Emergency

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Main article: 2021–2022 Ethiopian state of emergency

The November 2021 state of emergency was declared during the TPLF invasion of Kombolcha and after civilians massacre.[31]

Calls for evacuation

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The UN and some foreign diplomats urged citizens and families to leave Ethiopia with the state of emergency following occupation of Kombolcha and the killing of the 100 Amhara youths.

  • Government of EthiopiaEthiopia: Senior Ethiopian officials described the calls for evacuation as disinformation and propaganda.[32][33] Ethiopia accused the United States for spreading 'false information' about war.
  • ZambiaZambia: President Hakainde Hichilema ordered the diplomats and their families to evacuate, and repatriated 31 workers from the embassy in Addis Ababa[34][35]
  • United StatesUnited States: Department of State and the U.S. embassy in Addis Ababa advised its citizens to leave the country "as soon as possible", and set-up a task force.[32][36]
  • CanadaCanada: The Foreign Minister urged citizens to leave Ethiopia immediately, and communicated the security as "rapidly deteriorating".[37]
  • United KingdomUnited Kingdom: The Africa minister warned against travel to the whole country, and called for British nationals to leave "now while commercial flights are readily available".[38]
  • FranceFrance: The French embassy emailed its citizens and called for "All French nationals are formally urged to leave the country without delay".[39]
  • GermanyGermany: Germany's foreign minister called for its nationals to depart on the "first available commercial flights".[40][41]
  • UNUnited Nations: UN security asked the organization to "co-ordinate the evacuation and departure no later than 25 November 2021".[42]

Retreat and withdrawal

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Reports covered that Kombolcha was recaptured by the Ethiopian Federal army and the Amhara forces, and TPLF retreated out of the town— reversing TPLF's short-lived gains on the war front.[43][44] TPLF denied defeat and carrying out the massacre.[45]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c "Assessment in Dessie, Kombolcha, Kemesie and Ataye – Ethiopia ReliefWeb". reliefweb.int. December 2021. Retrieved 26 February 2023.
  2. ^ "Ethiopia: Peace agreement must deliver justice to victims and survivors of conflict". Amnesty International. 3 November 2022. Retrieved 26 February 2023.
  3. ^ a b "Tigray rebels accused of 'summarily executing' 100 in Kombolcha". www.aljazeera.com. Retrieved 26 February 2023.
  4. ^ a b Walsh, Declan; Marks, Simon (2 November 2021). "Ethiopia Declares State of Emergency as Rebels Advance Toward Capital". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 26 February 2023.
  5. ^ "Ethiopia government says Tigray forces killed 100 youths in key town". Reuters. 1 November 2021. Retrieved 26 February 2023.
  6. ^ "Gov't says TPLF Killed More than 100 Youth in Kombolcha Town – Ethiopian Monitor". November 2021. Retrieved 26 February 2023.
  7. ^ a b c helina (15 December 2021). "EPO Weekly: 4–10 December 2021". Ethiopia Peace Observatory. Retrieved 26 February 2023.
  8. ^ "Ethiopia says Tigray forces killed 100 youths in key town; TPLF denies claim". CNN. 1 November 2021. Retrieved 26 February 2023.
  9. ^ "Rebels in Ethiopia kill over 100 residents of captured city". Report News Agency. November 2021. Retrieved 26 February 2023.
  10. ^ a b "Ethiopia war: UN halts food aid in two towns after warehouses looted". BBC News. 9 December 2021. Retrieved 26 February 2023.
  11. ^ a b c "18 WFP Aid Trucks Commandeered in Northern Ethiopia". VOA. 13 December 2021. Retrieved 26 February 2023.
  12. ^ "War in Ethiopia". Global Conflict Tracker. Retrieved 26 February 2023.
  13. ^ "Ethiopia's prime minister wants to change the ruling coalition. Who's getting left out?". The Washington Post. 23 December 2019. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved 25 February 2023.
  14. ^ Rodas, Jacob Simas, Ricky (22 July 2022). "As a brutal civil war rages, Ethiopians in Oakland ask why the world isn't tuning in". The Oaklandside. Retrieved 26 February 2023.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  15. ^ "'Afar has been raided': Suffering stalks Ethiopia's forgotten front web". France 24. 17 February 2022. Retrieved 25 February 2023.
  16. ^ a b "Ethiopia: leaders of Tigray region admit they attacked neighbouring Amhara". The Guardian. Agence France-Presse. 14 November 2020. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 25 February 2023.
  17. ^ "10 Conflicts to Worry About in 2022: Ethiopia". ACLED. Retrieved 25 February 2023.
  18. ^ "750 civilians killed in Amhara in half of 2021: Rights body". Al Jazeera. 11 March 2022. Retrieved 25 February 2023.
  19. ^ "US Expresses Alarm Over Reports of Escalation of War in Ethiopia". VOA. November 2021. Retrieved 26 February 2023.
  20. ^ "Ethiopian forces battle Tigrayan rebels for control of key town". France 24. 1 November 2021. Retrieved 26 February 2023.
  21. ^ "Tigrayan rebels claim Ethiopian town Kombolcha". Africanews. 1 November 2021. Retrieved 26 February 2023.
  22. ^ a b "Annual Human Right Report, May 2022" (PDF). Amhara Association of America (AAA). 26 May 2022. Retrieved 25 February 2023.
  23. ^ "U.N. suspends food distribution in two towns in Ethiopia after looting". Reuters. 9 December 2021. Retrieved 26 February 2023.
  24. ^ sewnetam. "Terrorist TPLF Massacres over 100 Civilian Youth in Kombolcha Ethiopian News Agency". Retrieved 26 February 2023.
  25. ^ Observer, Ethiopia (14 November 2021). "TPLF "ransacked and destroyed Kombolcha's infrastructure"". Ethiopia Observer. Retrieved 26 February 2023.
  26. ^ Esmonde*, Peter W. (22 November 2021). "Update On The Logic Behind Events In Ethiopia – OpEd". Eurasia Review. Retrieved 26 February 2023.
  27. ^ Insight, Addis (12 November 2021). "Internally Displaced People exceeding to 2 million in Amhara Region". Addis Insight. Retrieved 26 February 2023.
  28. ^ "Humanitarian Situation Update on Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF) Genocidal War waged on the Amhara People: 3 August 2021" (PDF). Amhara Association of America (AAA). 2 August 2021. Retrieved 25 February 2023.
  29. ^ "Summary of Atrocities Committed by Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF) Forces Occupying Amhara Region" (PDF). Amhara Association of America (AAA). 12 September 2021. Retrieved 25 February 2023.
  30. ^ "Government is not giving attention to IDPs in Dessie, Kombolcha — Wollo Hibret". 22 October 2021. Retrieved 26 February 2023.
  31. ^ "Ethiopia declares nationwide state of emergency". Aljazeera News. 2 November 2021. Archived from the original on 2 November 2021. Retrieved 2 November 2021.
  32. ^ a b Gramer, Robbie (5 November 2021). "State Starts Ethiopia Task Force as It Urges U.S. Citizens to Leave". Foreign Policy. Retrieved 26 February 2023.
  33. ^ "Ethiopia to US: Stop spreading 'false information' about the war". AP NEWS. 25 November 2021. Retrieved 26 February 2023.
  34. ^ "Zambian president orders evacuation of nationals from Ethiopia". www.aa.com.tr. Retrieved 26 February 2023.
  35. ^ "UN says 16 local staff detained in Ethiopia amid push to end war". France 24. 9 November 2021. Retrieved 26 February 2023.
  36. ^ Bertrand, Jennifer Hansler,Katie Bo Lillis,Jim Sciutto,Barbara Starr,Natasha (23 November 2021). "US has positioned special ops near Ethiopia for potential US embassy assistance | CNN Politics". CNN. Retrieved 26 February 2023.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  37. ^ "Canada tells citizens to leave Ethiopia at once because of conflict". Reuters. 26 November 2021. Retrieved 26 February 2023.
  38. ^ "Britons urged to leave Ethiopia". The Independent. 9 November 2021. Retrieved 26 February 2023.
  39. ^ "France advises its citizens to leave Ethiopia as Tigray rebels advance on Addis Ababa". RFI. 23 November 2021. Retrieved 26 February 2023.
  40. ^ "Foreigners Urged to Leave Ethiopia as Security Worsens". VOA. 24 November 2021. Retrieved 26 February 2023.
  41. ^ "Ethiopia's Tigray conflict: Foreigners advised to leave". BBC News. 23 November 2021. Retrieved 26 February 2023.
  42. ^ AFP. "UN to evacuate families of international staff from Ethiopia: document". ewn.co.za. Retrieved 26 February 2023.
  43. ^ Kulkarni, Pavan (7 December 2021). "Civil war in northern Ethiopia turns in favor of federal government, reversing last month's advances by TPLF". Peoples Dispatch. Retrieved 26 February 2023.
  44. ^ "In Ethiopia, Tigray Fighters' Retreat Will Move the Conflict Back North". Stratfor. Retrieved 26 February 2023.
  45. ^ "Ethiopia claims strategic gains despite TPLF denials – DW – 12/07/2021". dw.com. Retrieved 26 February 2023.

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