According to a state-appointed human rights commission, at least 600 civilians were killed during an attack in Northern Ethiopia in early November, purely due to their ethnicity. Mai-Kadra is a town in Tigray region. On November 9, there was a massacre, where Tigrayan youths, with aid by local officials and police, going door-to-door in killing hundreds of people they identified as “Amharas and Wolkait.”

The human rights commission has accused the local Tigrayan militia, police security, and the Tigrayan youths for committing war crimes and crimes against humanity.  The Tigrayans were noted to destroying and looting homes while also using knives, machetes, hatchets, and ropes to kill victims. Some ethnic Tigrayans saved people by hiding others in their homes, churches, and fields.

So far, the fighting between the government and the Tigrayan forces has resulted in more than 40,000 refugees fleeing into Sudan. Humanitarian organizations are struggling to provide services amid the large influx of refugees.

Unfortunately for Ethiopian government, it cannot necessarily claim clean hands either, as the government forces had been using air strikes and ground offensives against Tigray’s rulers for defiance. There may have been civilian deaths on both sides.

Unfortunately, this news is unverifiable due to the difficulties in communication.

The UN high commissioner for human rights, Michelle Bachelet raised alarm on Tuesday at the knowledge of heavy build up of tanks and artillery around the city of Mekelle in Tigray region.

Both the US and European powers are urging Ethiopia to act in de-escalation.

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