UN secretary-general Antonio Guterres has called for an end to hostilities in the Tigray region of Ethiopia, including the immediate withdrawal and disengagement of Eritrean armed forces from Ethiopia.

Mr Guterres, in a statement on Monday, expressed grave concern over the escalation of fighting in the Tigray region of Ethiopia, where government troops and separatist forces had been locked in conflict since November 2020.

The latest surge in violence began in August, after a fragile five-month humanitarian truce, which has halted aid deliveries into the northern Ethiopian region, where around five million civilians need aid.

Aid distribution continues to be hampered by a lack of fuel, and a communications shutdown across Tigray, while Tigrayan commanders have claimed that Eritrea launched an offensive in support of Ethiopian government forces, according to news reports.

UN partner organisation, the International Rescue Committee, reported that one of its workers was killed in an attack in Tigray while delivering aid to women and children in Shire on Friday.

“The situation in Ethiopia is spiralling out of control. Violence and destruction have reached alarming levels. The social fabric is being ripped apart. There is no military solution. Civilians are paying a horrific price,” stated the UN chief. “Indiscriminate attacks — including in residential areas — are killing more innocent people every day, damaging critical infrastructure and limiting access to vital services.”

Mr Guterres added, “Hundreds of thousands of people have been forced to flee their homes since hostilities resumed in August, many of them for the second time.”

The UN chief said there were also reports of disturbing accounts of sexual violence and other acts of brutality against women, children and men, urging all parties to adhere to their obligations under international humanitarian law.

“Civilians must be protected – and, so, too, humanitarian workers who are being attacked – and even killed — delivering life-saving humanitarian aid. The level of need is staggering. Even before the resumption of hostilities, 13 million people required food and other support across Tigray, Amhara and Afar,” the UN boss explained. “Deliveries of aid into Tigray have been suspended for more than seven weeks, and assistance to Amhara and Afar has also been disrupted.”

(NAN)