This satellite photo combo provided on Sunday, January 17, 2021 by Planet Labs, Inc. shows the destruction of UN World Food Program warehouses in the Shimelba refugee camp in the Tigray region, Ethiopia, on January 5, 2021, in the lower left, and before the destruction of the December 10, 2020, at the top. Hunger threatens survivors of fighting in Tigray and authorities say more than 4.5 million people need emergency food. According to experts, food supply has been a target of the conflict. (2021 Planet Labs, Inc. via AP)
This combo of satellite photos provided on Sunday, January 17, 2021 by Planet Labs, Inc. shows the destruction of UN World Food Program warehouses in the Shimelba refugee camp in the Tigray region, Ethiopia, on January 5, 2021, in the lower left, destroyed on December 10, 2021. 2020, at the top. Hunger threatens survivors of fighting in Tigray and authorities say more than 4.5 million people need emergency food. Food supplies have been a target of the conflict, experts say. (2021 Planet Labs, Inc. via AP)
NAIROBI, Kenya (AP): new satellite images of a refugee camp in the Tigray region of Ethiopia shows that more than 400 structures have been severely damaged by what a research group believes is the latest “intentional attack” by combatants.
The report from the UK-based non-profit organization DX Open Network, shared with The Associated Press, says that the events of January 16 are likely to be another episode in a series of raids. military in the camp as reported (United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees). “
The Shimelba camp is one of four that hosted 96,000 refugees from nearby Eritrea when fighting broke out in early November between Ethiopian forces and those in the challenging Tigray region. Fighting has spread across the camps and two of them, including Shimelba, remain inaccessible to aid workers. Many refugees have fled.
On Thursday, UN refugee chief Filippo Grandi cited recent satellite images of fires and other destruction in the two inaccessible camps as “concrete indications of major violations of international law.”
On Sunday, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees called for access to the camps.
“As of November, 8,700 refugees were registered in Shimelba. We have no information on how many refugees were still in the camp last week, “UN refugee agency spokesman Chris Melzer said in an email.” We do not yet have access to the two northern camps, Shimelba. and Hitsats (25,248 registered refugees in November) We are asking for access because the refugees have been without supplies for two and a half months and we are extremely concerned. We also saw satellite images and heard horrific reports. But as we do not have access , we cannot confirm them “.
The new report says satellite images show “burning ruins, blackening of structures and collapsed roofs.” The structures, he said, “coincide with the profile of the mud-brick houses built by the refugees themselves. The attackers were probably divided into several groups that go from door to door to set fire to the interior of the buildings, “according to previous attacks on the Hitsats camp, which is also inaccessible.
Neither the UN nor the DX Open Network have blamed anyone for the attacks, but the presence of troops from Eritrea, a bitter enemy of the now fugitive leaders in the Tigray region, has caused alarm. Grandi noted “many reliable reports and first-hand accounts” of abuses, including the forced return of refugees to Eritrea.
The day after Grandi’s statement, Eritrean Information Minister Yemane Gebremeskel tweeted that “UNHCR seems to be pleased, once again, with another episode of free and irresponsible defamation campaigns against Eritrea.” He said Eritrea rejects the “forced repatriation of” refugees “.
Human rights groups have described Eritrea as one of the most repressive countries in the world. Thousands of people have fled the country over the years to avoid a military recruitment system.
Fighting continues in some parts of the Tigray region. Thousands have died and more than 2 million have been displaced.