Casualties of the Tigray War

Casualties of the Tigray War refers to civilian and military deaths and injuries in the Tigray War that started in November 2020, in which rape and other sexual violence were also widespread.[1][2][3] Estimates of civilian deaths range from zero civilians killed in the late November Mekelle offensive, according to federal Ethiopian prime minister Abiy Ahmed in 30 November parliamentary statement,[4] to 52,000 civilians killed by the ENDF, the Eritrean Defence Forces (EDF), Amhara militias, and other forces allied with the ENDF as of early February 2021, according to Tigrayan opposition political parties.[5] A joint civilian-military death toll of 92 was reported by Humera hospital, according to the Ethiopian Human Rights Commission (EHRC).[6]

Civilian deaths

The lowest estimate of civilian deaths in the Tigray War is prime minister Abiy Ahmed's estimate of zero deaths in the November Mekelle offensive. In a parliamentary statement on 30 November, Abiy stated, "Not even a single person was harmed by the operation in [Mekelle]."[4] Doctors interviewed by The New York Times, who presented documentary evidence, stated that 27 civilians had been killed by the evening of 28 November.[7]

As of 2 February 2021, the casualty recording website Tghat listed details of 1037 victims.[8]

As of 2 February 2021, the highest estimate of civilian deaths in the Tigray War is that stated by three of the opposition parties of the 2020 Tigray regional election, National Congress of Great Tigray, Tigray Independence Party and Salsay Woyane Tigray, who were allocated 15 seats in September 2020, prior to the war.[9] The three parties' February 2021 statement (published 2 February) estimated that 52,000 had been civilians killed by the ENDF, the Eritrean Defence Forces (EDF), Amhara militias, and other forces allied with the ENDF.[5]

Executions

Multiple reports were made of extrajudicial executions of civilians in November and December 2020 during the Tigray War.[10] or 1100[11][12]

Executions of civilians in the Tigray War
DatePlaceNumberPerpetratorsSourcesNotes
early Nov 2020 Humera unknown ENDF, Amhara militia, Fano [13][14][15] related: EHRC report[6]
9–10 Nov Mai Kadra 600[10] or 1100[11] Samri kebele youths[16][10][11] or Amhara militias[17][18][19] victim ethnicity and perpetrators disputed
18 Nov 2020 Zalambessa 59 EDF [12] killed at home
c. 19 Nov Hitsats 300 TPLF or EDF [20] 300 refugees executed; five humanitarian workers killed in battle[21][22][23]
21 Nov Idaga Hamus 24 EDF [24] after capture of town
c. 21 Nov Adigrat 12 EDF [24][25] after capture of town
25 Nov Adigrat 8–15 EDF [12] at Addis Pharmaceutical Factory
25 Nov Hawzen 8 EDF [12] at home
30 Nov Idaga Hamus 80–150 EDF [12][26] at Maryam Dengelat church
late Nov/early Dec Irob 52 [27] 50 men, 2 women
1–14 Dec Tokot village near Idaga Hamus 13 EDF [12] boys aged 12–15
late Dec Hawzen 70 ENDF, Amhara, EDF [28] 70 bodies recognised by witness
4–5 Dec Hagere Selam 60 ENDF, EDF [12]
14 Dec Addi Qoylo 30 EDF [12]
15 Dec or 17–20 Dec Aksum 750 ENDF, Amhara militia [12][29][30]

Military deaths

An ENDF soldier present at the attack on the Adigrat base of the ENDF Northern Command during the 4 November Northern Command attacks, Bulcha, stated to BBC News that there were 32 ENDF fatalities and 100 TPLF fatalities.[31]

Based on its 14–18 November 2020 visit and a visit starting 10 January 2021 to the Tigray Region, the Ethiopian Human Rights Commission (EHRC) reported a Humera hospital employee's count of the war deaths as 92, including military (ENDF and TPLF) and civilian deaths.[6]

References

  1. "Situation Report EEPA HORN No. 45 – 4 January 2021" (PDF). Europe External Programme with Africa. 2021-01-04. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2021-01-31. Retrieved 2021-02-01.
  2. Patten, Pramila (2021-01-21). "United Nations Special Representative of the Secretary-General on Sexual Violence in Conflict, Ms. Pramila Patten, urges all parties to prohibit the use of sexual violence and cease hostilities in the Tigray region of Ethiopia". United Nations. Archived from the original on 2021-01-31. Retrieved 2021-02-01.
  3. Georgy, Michael (2021-01-23). "'Choose - I kill you or rape you': abuse accusations surge in Ethiopia's war". Thomson Reuters. Archived from the original on 2021-02-01. Retrieved 2021-02-01.
  4. "Ethiopia: Tigray leader urges PM Abiy to 'stop the madness'". Deutsche Welle. 2020-11-30. Archived from the original on 2021-02-02. Retrieved 2021-02-02.
  5. "A Joint Press Release by Tigray Independence Party (TIP), Salsay Weyane Tigray (SAWET), and National Congress of Great Tigray (Baytona) on the Current Situation in Tigray". Eritrea Hub. 2021-02-02. Archived from the original on 2021-02-02. Retrieved 2021-02-02.
  6. Ethiopian Human Rights Commission (2021-01-18). "Brief Monitoring Report on the Situation of Civilians in Humera, Dansha and Bissober". Archived from the original on 2021-01-20. Retrieved 2021-01-20.
  7. Walsh, Declan; Marks, Simon (2020-12-03). "From Shelled Ethiopian City, Doctors Tally Deaths and Plead for Help". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 2021-02-02. Retrieved 2021-02-02.
  8. "Victim list – Tghat". Tghat. 2021-02-02. Archived from the original on 2021-02-02. Retrieved 2021-02-02.
  9. "Debretsion faces rough road ahead as Tigray State President". Addis Fortune. 2020-09-24. Archived from the original on 2020-12-16. Retrieved 2020-12-16.
  10. "Rapid Investigation into Grave Human Rights Violations in Maikadra: Preliminary Findings" (Digital report). Addis Ababa: Ethiopian Human Rights Commission. 24 November 2020. Archived from the original on 2020-11-25. Retrieved 24 November 2020.
  11. "EHRCO Preliminary Investigation Report on Major Human Rights Violations in and around Maikadra" (PDF). Ethiopian Human Rights Council. 2020-12-25. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2020-12-25. Retrieved 2021-01-20.
  12. Nyssen, Jan (2021). "The situation in Tigray at the beginning of 2021". Researchgate. Archived from the original on 2021-01-14. Retrieved 2021-01-14.
  13. Brown, Will (23 November 2020). "After the bombs they attacked with knives, claim Ethiopians fleeing peace prize winner's war". The Daily Telegraph. Archived from the original on 2020-11-24. Retrieved 24 November 2020.
  14. Akinwotu, Emmanuel (2020-12-02). "'I saw people dying on the road': Tigray's traumatised war refugees". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 2020-12-02. Retrieved 2020-12-02.
  15. Latif Dahir, Abdi (2020-12-09). "Fleeing Ethiopians Tell of Ethnic Massacres in Tigray War". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 2020-12-09. Retrieved 2020-12-09.
  16. "Ethiopia: Investigation reveals evidence that scores of civilians were killed in massacre in Tigray state". Amnesty International. 12 November 2020. Archived from the original on 2020-11-21. Retrieved 12 November 2020.
  17. Khalid Abdelaziz, El Tayeb Siddig (13 November 2020). "Ethiopians fleeing to Sudan describe air strikes and machete killings in Tigray". Reuters. Archived from the original on 2020-11-26. Retrieved 14 November 2020.
  18. Schipani, Andres (2020-12-04). "Refugees flee Ethiopia's brutal war with tales of atrocities on both sides". Financial Times. Archived from the original on 2020-12-04. Retrieved 9 December 2020.
  19. Abuelgasim, Fay; el-Mofty, Nariman; Anna, Cara (2020-12-12). "Shadowy Ethiopian massacre could be tip of the iceberg". Associated Press. Archived from the original on 2020-12-12. Retrieved 2020-12-12. It's possible that civilians from both ethnicities were targeted in Mai-Kadra, Amnesty now says.
  20. "Situation Report EEPA HORN No. 51 – 10 January 2021" (PDF). Europe External Programme with Africa. 2021-01-10. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2021-01-11. Retrieved 2021-01-11.
  21. Marks, Simon; Walsh, Declan (2020-12-28). "Refugees Come Under Fire as Old Foes Fight in Concert in Ethiopia". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 2020-12-28. Retrieved 2021-01-12.
  22. Anna, Cara (2020-12-30). "Aid group says colleague 'murdered' in Ethiopia's conflict". Associated Press. Archived from the original on 2021-01-12. Retrieved 2021-01-12.
  23. "Ethiopia - Tigray Region Humanitarian Update – Situation Report Last updated: 6 Jan 2021". United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. 2021-01-06. Archived from the original on 2021-01-13. Retrieved 2021-01-12.
  24. Zelalem, Zecharias; Brown, Will (2021-01-08). "Eritrea's brutal shadow war in Ethiopia laid bare". The Daily Telegraph. Archived from the original on 2021-01-10. Retrieved 2021-01-10.
  25. "Ethiopia says it captured Tigrayan town of Adigrat". Al Jazeera English. 2020-11-21. Archived from the original on 2021-01-14. Retrieved 2021-01-14.
  26. "Situation Report EEPA HORN No. 31 – 20 December" (PDF). Europe External Programme with Africa. 2020-12-20. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2021-01-14. Retrieved 2021-01-14.
  27. "Situation Report EEPA HORN No. 72 – 31 January 2021" (PDF). Europe External Programme with Africa. 2021-01-31. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2021-01-31. Retrieved 2021-02-01.
  28. Anna, Cara (2020-01-25). "Witnesses: Eritrean soldiers loot, kill in Ethiopia's Tigray". The Washington Post. AP. Archived from the original on 2021-01-26. Retrieved 2021-01-26.
  29. "Situation Report EEPA HORN No. 53 – 12 January 2021" (PDF). Europe External Programme with Africa. 2021-01-12. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2021-01-12. Retrieved 2021-01-13.
  30. Hochet-Bodin, Noé (2021-01-18). "'Les gens meurent de faim' : en Ethiopie, le Tigré au bord du désastre humanitaire" ['People are dying of hunger': in Ethiopia, Tigray is on the verge of a humanitarian disaster]. Le Monde (in French). Archived from the original on 2021-01-18. Retrieved 2021-01-18.
  31. "Ethiopia's Tigray crisis: How a soldier survived an 11-hour gun battle". BBC News. 2020-12-10. Archived from the original on 2020-12-10. Retrieved 2020-12-11.
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