Hundreds of civilians feared dead in Ethiopia massacre amid fighting

Victims in the western state of Tigray attacked with knives and machetes

Scores of civilians were massacred on Monday evening in Ethiopia, with the death toll feared to be in the hundreds, Amnesty International has said.

The rights group verified videos and photographs showing people being attacked with knives and machetes in the western state of Tigray, where the country’s military is fighting against local forces.

Witnesses, who entered the town of Mai-Kadra on Tuesday morning with the Ethiopian Defence Forces (EDF), confirmed to Amnesty International that dozens of bodies were discovered there.

“Those wounded told me they were attacked with machetes, axes and knives. You can also tell from the wounds that those who died were attacked by sharp objects,” said one witness.

Another told the human rights organisation that the victims were mainly seasonal labourers living in the town.

While the perpetrators of the mass killings have not been independently identified, first-hand reports given to Amnesty allege that they were loyal to the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF), which controls the region.

However, Debretsion Gebremichael, the leader of the TPLF, denied the allegation, telling Reuters that the massacre “should be investigated”.

Speaking about the killings, Deprose Muchena, Amnesty International’s director for east and southern Africa, said: “This is a horrific tragedy whose true extent only time will tell as communication in Tigray remains shut down.

“The government must restore all communication to Tigray as an act of accountability and transparency for its military operations in the region, as well as ensure unfettered access to humanitarian organisations and human rights monitors.”

Mr Muchena added that both sides in the conflict must abide by international humanitarian law and ensure the safety of civilians.

Fighting broke out in Tigray Region earlier this month after Ethiopian prime minister Abiy Ahmed accused the TPLF of attacking a federal military base. The Tigrayans blame Mr Ahmed for the conflict, saying he has persecuted them since he took office two years ago.

Hundreds of people have died and more than 11,000 Ethiopian refugees have left Ethiopia for Sudan since hostilities began, according to Reuters.