Food Aid Distribution to Residents of Recently Liberated Towns Begins

ADDIS ABABA – Food assistance has begun to reach people in need of aid in cities and towns recently liberated from TPLF occupation as the government continues its humanitarian response in northern Ethiopia, according to the Prime Minister office.

The National Defence Forces and allies have made considerable gains in reversing the occupation by TPLF of Amhara and Afar towns in the past few weeks.

Most recently, the allied forces managed to fully clear out TPLF group from the North Wollo zone, liberating its strategic capital Woldia.

“The aftermath of TPLF’s occupation has been tremendous destruction of public and private infrastructure,” said Billene Seyoum, press secretary of the PM office.

Speaking to reporters today, Billene said health infrastructures, academic institutions including Wollo University, religious institutions & cultural centers have been looted and severely destroyed.

Humanitarian Response

According to the PM Office, the government is now distributing food assistance to the people affected by the conflict.

“Following the recent military victories against TPLF,” she said the government has distributed 1,316 quintals of food to Woldiya, Qobo and Mersa Woredas in Northern Wollo Zone.

Additional 31,899 quintals of food was also distributed to Ataye, Efrata, Antsokiya, Shewarobit, Menz-Mama, Menz-Gera Weredas in North Shewa Zone.

In Afar, more than 1.3 million people are in need of immediate Emergency Response as per recent data received from the National Disaster Risk Management Commission.

It also said Close to 400,000 are displaced from 21 Woredas in the same region due to TPLF’s aggression. The Government together with partners is helping in conflict affected areas, said the PM office.

With regards to Tigray, the office said the most recent update is that a total of 225 trucks have arrived into the region with humanitarian supplies.

The trucks reached Mekelle with a total of 9,284 metric tons of food and non-food items, said the PM office.