Over 1.8mln People Displaced from Afar, Amhara Due to TPLF’s Aggression: PM Office

ADDIS ABABA – Nearly two million people have been displaced from Amhara and Afar region a result of TPLF’s aggression, said the Prime Minister Office on Tuesday

In Amhara alone, the region’s Emergency Coordination Committee estimates that more than 1.4 million people have been displaced, said Billene Seyoum. Press Secretariat of the Office of the Prime Minister.

The humanitarian support to the displaced people, she said, has stepped up following the recent military victories against TPLF forces in the region.

“The government has allocated over 28,000 metric tons of food for more than 2 million people in 24 Woredas of North Wollo, North Shewa and South Wollo Zones,” Billene said.

The first 13 trucks loaded with more than 5,000 quintals of different kinds of food have been dispatched to Ghana and Lalibela, she added.

In the Afar region, the press secretariat said food and other supports are being distributed to people in need of support including over 376,000 internally displaced persons from 17 districts as a result of TPLF aggression and belligerence in the region.

“What we have now is that more than 1.3 million people are in need of immediate emergency response,” she said.

“Government’s partners have so far distributed 64,232 quintals of food to conflict affected people,” she said. At least 7,500 Emergency Shelter and Non-food items distributed in Gulina and Chifra woredas.

Misappropriation of Aid trucks

According to Billene, four return flights have been conducted from Addis Ababa to Mekelle and from Mekelle to Addis since the UN HAS resumed flights.

A total of 203 trucks have arrived into Tigray with humanitarian supplies have also arrived in Mekelle.

Despite the government allowing the aid trucks to go into Tigray, over 900 aid trucks that went into the region are yet to return, according to the PM Office.

“Members of the international community that have been raising concerns about lack of humanitarian assistance Tigray region, are still silent on the hold up of 900 trucks by the TPLF that could be used to transport food and non food items” Billene said.

“Yet TPLF is still using these trucks to move around its combatants and to transport looted items from areas it is being routed out from,” she said.“The double standard exhibited in this regard as well as the silence to TPLFs vast human rights abuses being conducted in real time is questionable.”