Humanitarian Crisis in Tigray

The Tigray war started in November 2020 due to years of tension and conflict between the Ethiopian federal government and the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF), with Entrea being an ally of the Ethiopian government. The war lasted 2 long years and ended up as one of the most devastating humanitarian crises in recent history. The total impact of the war had killed an estimated 162 000 to 378 000, or even potentially 600 000 people.

In February 2021, it was reported by numerous organisations (GOAL Ethiopia, International Rescue Committee (IRC), MCMDO, MSF-Spain, World Vision) that almost 1 out of 7 children in the Tigray region were acutely malnourished.

Moreover, GOAL and IRC reported that in Enderta, Abi Adi, and Shire, 16.6% of children had acute malnutrition, whilst 3.5% had severe acute malnutrition. This was due to the water supply being cut off in Tigray, preventing access to clean water and sanitation, hence increasing the risk of outbreaks of waterborne diseases and COVID-19. Healthcare services were also not functional as there was low access to medical supplies, and health centres were reportedly constantly looted.

Owing to the conflict in the region, over a million people were displaced and over 50 000 escaped to Sudan, as estimated by the UN, with communication and travel still unavailable. However, these refugees’ problems did not end there; those who escaped to Sudan faced the threat of human traffickers, kidnapping, and torture.

Some were moved to Libya, where they would die from poor living conditions. To make things worse, the dangers increased when Sudan fell into conflict in 2023. For Eritrean refugees, they not only had to face these dangers, but also had the risk of getting kidnapped by the Eritrean government. According to the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, 20 000 Eritrean refugees in Tigray have been missing since 2 February 2021.