አማራ ሚዲያ ማዕከል / Amara Media
· War Crimes of TPLF in occupied Adarkay Woreda of Amhara Region_ by AAA.
Killed at least 85 civilians
,• Raped at least 100 girls and women.
• Exposed at least 89 girls and women to unwanted pregnancies as a result of rape from the Tigrayan TPLF forces.
• Caused displacement of more than 86,866 residents of Aderkay who are living under abject conditions in the nearby towns of Debark and Zarima.
A report by The Amhara Asdociation of America Focusing on_Identifying the humanitarian crisis and in-frastructural destruction the Tigrayan forces brought upon Aderkay Woreda between July 24, 2021, and September 10, 2022.
Introduction
The Aderkay (Addi Arkay) Woreda (district) is located in the North Gonder Zone ofAmhara Region in northern Ethiopia. It is located in the northern Semien Mountains area,bordered by Debark to the southwest, Tegede in the north, and by Telemt in the east.
Since late July 2021, most parts of Aderkay Woreda have been under the control of invadingforces of the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) or Tigrayan forces.
The TPLF invaded and occupied Aderkay on July 24, 2021.
They controlled the area up until tensionsbegan to escalate around August 23, 2022. On August 24, 2022, TPLF violated the uni-lateral ceasefire declared by the Ethiopian Government.
The ceasefire was a humanitariantruce that hoped to bring some relief to the countless war-ravaged civilian towns of Amhara,Afar, and Tigray Regions.
TPLF forces reopened a major offensive in various parts of the Amhara and Afar Regions of Ethiopia. This included Aderkay Woreda, where the TPLF forces opened fire on nearby Ethiopian allied forces.
The Tigrayan forces, however, shiftedthe blame to the Ethiopian allied forces from the start of the war and justified their actions as self-defense.
After days of heavy fighting, on September 10, 2022, the Tigrayan forces retreated from Adarkay back to neighboring woredas.
This report is focused on human rights violations and infrastructural destruction perpetrated by Tigrayan forces between July 24, 2021, and September 10, 2022.
The TPLF military occupation of Aderkay Woreda was marked by the execution of civilians, the shellingof civilians and civilian objects, and rape.
The TPLF forces also engaged in widespread looting and destruction of both public and private properties.
These included speciallyprotected sites such as religious institutions. Basic public services like banking, telecommunication, and electricity have been unavailable in Aderkay ever since the woreda fellunder the control of Tigrayan forces.
In addition to communication blackouts, residents of Aderkay have not had any access to humanitarian aid. As a result, residents have beenforced to flee en masse to the surrounding towns of Debark and Zarima.
At the time of writing this report, out of the twenty-two total kebeles in Aderkay, sevenwere under the control of the TPLF.
The remaining fifteen kebeles were under the control of allied Ethiopian forces including the Ethiopian National Defense Force (ENDF), AmharaSpecial Forces (ASF), Amhara militia, and Amhara Fano.
Presently, the Tigrayan forces areactively fighting the allied forces to control the remaining kebeles of Aderkay.
The Amhara Association of America (AAA) expects the ongoing fighting in the area to increase the intensity of service blackouts, targeted killings of Amhara civilians, and the displacement toll.
Killings and Bodily InjuriesThe communication blackouts and security concerns in Aderkay continue to be major hindrances to conducting thorough investigations on the atrocities committed by TPLF.
Despite these challenges, AAA investigators have managed to confirm the names of dozens of civilian victims killed by TPLF.
The victims included children, women, the elderly, and specially protected persons such as the deaf and blind.
Sources also add the existence of grave willful bodily injury on an unspecified number of civilians by the TPLF militia.A number of civilians endured battery, biting, and derogatory insults from the TPLF soldiers.
An eyewitness from Aderkay, told AAA that TPLF forces killed more than one hundred Amhara civilians through ethnically motivated killing sprees.
The TPLF soldiers justified the killings of ethnic Amhara civilians by deeming Amharas guilty of a range of accusations.
These accusations included that ethnic Amharas supported the allied forces ofEthiopia and were members of Fano or the Amhara militia.
Crossfire and artillery shellsalso claimed the lives of many innocent civilians.
“Four family members were intentionally killed in a house after being bombed by the TPLF’s mortar shells.” they told AAA.
He also told the AAA that he witnessed the TPLF forces intentionally kill an 11-year-old minor in the town of Zarima.
The deceased minor was also deaf. Another source, a public prosecutor at Aderkay, told AAA,
“Since the TPLF forces took control of Aderkay last July, there have been reported killings of eighty-five (85) civilians. Seven kebeles are still under the control of the TPLF forces.
The present active fighting islikely to increase the death toll.
It is also likely there is an underreporting of the killings as a result of the communication blackouts and security concerns..”
A list of 70 civilian victims in Aderkay Woreda (North Gonder Zone, Amhara Region,Ethiopia) killed by TPLF forces.
No. Name Age Sex Manners of killing Location/Kebele
1) Abebaw Alehegn 35 M Execution Aderkay 02
2) Woldie Yigzaw 60 M Shelling Aderkay 02
3) Emuhay Gelanesh 1 F Shelling Aderkay 01
4) Adane Mulualem 40 M Execution Aderkay 02
5) Ahmed Mohammed 2 M Execution Aderkay 02
6) Arega Tigabie 34 M Shelling Ber-Mariam
7 Temesgen Addisu 36 M Execution Ber-Mariam.
1) Died along with 6 of her family members
2) Died along with 5 of his family members Gashaw Endalew 24 M Shelling Chew-Ber
9) Solomon Mehabie 28 M Shelling Chew-Ber
10) Solomon Berie 26 M Shelling Aderkay 01
11) Melese Gerseie 34 M Shelling Aderkay 02
12) Solomon Aklilu 26 M Execution Aderkay 02
13) Aboy Gebrie 76 M Shelling Aderkay 02
14) Meseret Tsegaye 22 F Shelling Meki
15) Sisay Aragaw M Shelling Meki
16) Chalachew Jajew 28 M Shelling Aderkay 02
17) Yingalgn Gebre-Egziabher 34 M Execution Aderkay 02
18) Tekle Fentaye 76 M Shelling Aderkay 01
19) Teshome Nigussie M Shelling Meni
20) Adem Habib M Shelling Aderkay 02
21) Temesgen Mulat M Shelling Aderkay 01
22) Getachew Kassahun M Shelling Aderkay
23) Bazezew Jajew M Execution Aba-Mar
24) Hunachew Tafere 34 M Execution Aderkay 02
25) Birkie Aderajew F Execution Ber-Mariam
26) Endalkachew Shimeles 37 M Execution Aderkay 02
27) Zewude Tassew 43 M Execution Aderkay 02
28) Mekdes Tesfaye F Shelling Aderkay 01
29) Maru Tilahun M Execution Zarima
30) Mulat Tekle M Execution Zarima
31) Getahun Bayeh M Shelling Zarima
32) Zewdu Negash 45 M Execution Meni
33) Zenaw Assefa 24 M Execution Chew-Ber
34) Tigabie Mengistie 41 M Shelling Alli
35) Aderajew Alebel M Execution Aba-Mar
36) Tekle Fentaye M Execution Aba-Mar
37) Sisay Addissie M Shelling Aderkay
38) Endris Abdo M Execution Aderkay 02
39) Gelaye Chekole M Execution Aderkay o2
40) Belay Sharew M Execution Aderkay 02
41) Melese Mekonnen M Shelling Aderkay 02
42) Solomon Melese 43 M Execution Aderkay 02
43) Netsanet Melese 23 M Execution Aderkay 02
44) Tsehay Mekonnen F Shelling Ber-Mariam
45) Eshete Tajele M Shelling Aderkay
46) Sheikh Seman Adem 54 M Execution Hawza
47) Nigatie Melkamu M Execution Meka
48) Kasahun Ashebir M Execution Sekenil
49) Negash Eshete M Execution Meka
50) Ertibu Cherkos M Execution Chew-Ber
51) Arega Abebe M Shelling Meka
52) Habtamu Fentie M Execution Meka
53) Mulate Abate M Execution Meka
54) Jajew Birhanu M Execution Nebira
55) Melese Mekuanint 29 M Execution Aderkay 02
56) Birhane Cherinet 37 M Shelling Meka
Condition of People Living in IDP SitesDisplaced Aderkay residents at the Zarima and Debark IDP camp sites face continu-ously deteriorating living conditions.
There is a shortage of essential medical supplies and basic medicine for chronic illnesses like diabetes, blood pressure, and mental disorders.
Shortage of food, lack of water, and lack of female hygiene/sanitary kits are also common concerns at these sites.
Furthermore, facilities are not safe and accessible for the elderlyand persons with disabilities.
An IDP at the Debark camp, told AAA “We are living desperately here; there is a shortage of food, shortage of medical drugs, shortage of water andlack of various other essential things necessary for living.”
Destruction of Property and LootingThe Aderkay Woreda administration has assembled a special body to investigate the destruction and looting brought about by the TPLF forces.
This investigation is yet to becompleted. AAA investigators, however, have collected preliminary data on both privateand public properties that were destroyed and looted by the TPLF forces.
A total of 24 private homes have been destroyed by shell fire from the TPLF. Schools, health centers,and administrative buildings were also intentionally destroyed and looted by the TPLF.
Many others were the subjects of destruction and looting. An official at the communication affairs of Aderkay Woreda, told AAA “Almost 80 %of private and all public property in Aderkay Woreda is either looted or destroyed by theTPLF forces.”
He cited Aderkay secondary and preparatory schools as an example. He told AAA that “TPLF militia looted all computers, plasmas and other supplies of the school.Then they vandalized the windows and doors.”
List of schools in Aderkay looted and destroyed by the TPLF forces.
No. Name Location/Kebele
1) Buya Primary School Amba-Mariam Kebele
2) Walena Primary School Walina Kebele
3) Degaro Primary School Degaro Kebele
4) Amba-Mariam Primary School Amba-Mariam Kebele
5) Hawuza Primary School Aderkay town, 02 Kebele
6) Aderkay Primary School Aderkay town, 02 Kebele
7) Ber-Mariam Primary School Ber-Mariam Kebele
8) Chew-Ber Primary School Chew-Ber Kebele
9) Aderkay Primary and Elementary School Aderkay town, 02 Kebele
10) Aderkay Secondary and Preparatory School Aderkay town, 01 Kebele
11) Zarima Primary School Zarima town
12) Zarima Primary and Secondary School Zarima town
13) Aderkay Polytechnic College Aderkay town 02
List of health centers in Aderkay looted and destroyed by the TPLF forces.
No. Name Location/ Kebele
1) Walena Health Center Walena Kebele
2) Dagaro Health Center Degaro Kebele
3) Amba-Mariam Health Center Amba-Mariam Kebele
4) Buya Health Center Buya kebele
5) Aderkay Health Center Aderkay town
6) Zarima Health Center Zarima town
7) Aderkay Primary Hospital Aderkay town
List of Governmental Institutions in Aderkay looted and destroyed by the TPLF forces.
No. Name Location/Kebele
1) Aderkay Woreda Health Center Secretariat Office Aderkay
2) Zarima Sub-Secretariat Office for Health Centers Zarima
3) Aderkay Woreda Administration Pools Aderkay
4) Office for Agriculture in Aderkay Aderkay
5) Aderkay Woreda Water Distribution Center Aderkay
6) Commercial Bank of Ethiopia Aderkay
Religious Institutions damaged by the TPLF forces.
No. Name Location/kebele Manner of destruction
1) The Church of Medhanialem Zarima Shelling
2) The Church of St. George Zarima Shelling
List of 13 private properties looted and destroyed.
An additional eleven private houses including residential houses belonging to monks of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church werealso shelled and intentionally destroyed across different kebeles.
No. Name/owner (initials) Type of houses Location or Kebele
1) A. Y. Ras Dejen Hotel Aderkay
2) T. K. Residential house Aderkay
3) T. G. Residential house Aderkay
4) M. Residential house Aderkay
5) T. H. Residential house Zarima Y. D. Business Aderkay
9) D. J. Business Aderkay
10) A. Y. Residential house Aderkay
11) W. M. Residential house Aderkay
12) A. G. Residential house Aderkay
13) S. K. Business Aderkay Summary of Findings
The central focus of this investigation was identifying the humanitarian crisis and in-frastructural destruction the Tigrayan forces brought upon Aderkay Woreda between July 24, 2021, and September 10, 2022.
Below is a summary of civil and human rights violations our investigation identified at the time of writing this report.
• Killed at least 85 civilians in Aderkay Woreda.
• Raped at least 100 girls and women in Aderkay Woreda.
• Exposed at least 89 girls and women to unwanted pregnancies as a result of rape from the Tigrayan TPLF forces.
• Caused displacement of more than 86,866 residents of Aderkay who are living under abject conditions in the nearby towns of Debark and Zarima.
• Looted and destroyed thirteen schools, seven health centers, several residential homes,private businesses, governmental institutions, and religious institutions.
• Currently control seven kebeles of Aderkay Woreda, including the woreda capital. This indicates human suffering and infrastructural damage will continue in the area.
6) W. T. Residential house Aderkay
7) A. B. Residential house Aderkay
57) Adelelew Muluken 47 M Execution Zarima
58) Solomon Gebre-Egziabher M Shelling Aderkay 02
Like this:
Like Loading...
