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Ethiopia's Tigray crisis: What's stopping aid getting in? Ethiopia's Tigray crisis: What's stopping aid getting in?
(14 days later)
Fighting between government and rebel forces, as well as roadblocks on key transport routes, has been preventing trucks carrying desperately needed food aid from entering Ethiopia's northern Tigray region. Humanitarian aid is desperately needed in Ethiopia's northern Tigray region but the continuing conflict is preventing supplies reaching areas in most need.
But for the first time in over a month, a convoy of around 40 trucks has set off from the neighbouring Afar region on route to Mekelle, the Tigrayan capital. More than nine million people are in need of urgent assistance in Tigray and the neighbouring Afar and Amhara regions, according to the United Nations, as a result of severe drought and the upheaval caused by the fighting.
More than five million people are in dire need of humanitarian assistance in the Tigray, Afar and Amhara regions, according to the United Nations. Most recently, aid distribution has been suspended at two distribution points in Amhara, following attacks on World Food Programme (WFP) warehouses and staff.
Aid convoys have been blocked Aid convoys have struggled to get through
The only viable overland route into Tigray has been through the neighbouring Afar region.The only viable overland route into Tigray has been through the neighbouring Afar region.
But no aid trucks has entered Tigray via this route since 18 October and more than 300 trucks have been stuck at Semera, unable to set off due both to the fighting and bureaucratic delays. Movement of aid along this route has frequently been affected both by fighting and bureaucratic delays.
No aid convoys had been able to use this route for over a month.
But since late November, more than 200 trucks carrying supplies have reached the Tigrayan capital, Mekelle.
The WFP has also raised concerns that trucks delivering aid into Tigray have not been returning, with as many as 900 trucks affected.
The Ethiopian government accuses the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF) of commandeering the trucks for their own use, but the rebels deny the accusations.
To give a scale of the urgency of the situation, the UN says 100 trucks a day need to cross into Tigray to meet the needs there.To give a scale of the urgency of the situation, the UN says 100 trucks a day need to cross into Tigray to meet the needs there.
The US international development agency (USAID) says the conflict is "now one of the worst humanitarian crises in the world."The US international development agency (USAID) says the conflict is "now one of the worst humanitarian crises in the world."
Ethiopia's Tigray war - and how it eruptedEthiopia's Tigray war - and how it erupted
Both sides accused of disrupting aid Other routes remain blocked
To the south of Tigray, pro-government forces in the Amhara region have been preventing supplies getting through.To the south of Tigray, pro-government forces in the Amhara region have been preventing supplies getting through.
Fighting has also spread into this region, displacing more people and making the routes insecure.Fighting has also spread into this region, displacing more people and making the routes insecure.
The US has accused the TPLF fighters of attacking and looting aid warehouses in the areas they have captured in the Amhara region.The US has accused the TPLF fighters of attacking and looting aid warehouses in the areas they have captured in the Amhara region.
It says the fighters have also been restricting the flow of aid into areas under their control.It says the fighters have also been restricting the flow of aid into areas under their control.
The WFP says rebel fighters together with locals looted aid warehouses in the city of Kombolcha moments before it was recaptured by the Ethiopian army.
"WFP teams on the ground were not able to prevent the looting in the face of extreme intimidation, including staff being held at gunpoint," it says.
The agency has suspended aid distribution in Kombolcha and Dessie - another town retaken by the Ethiopian government - as a result.
It's also been impossible to bring in aid by road from Sudan, into western Tigray, an area under the control of groups supporting the Ethiopian government.It's also been impossible to bring in aid by road from Sudan, into western Tigray, an area under the control of groups supporting the Ethiopian government.
And now, with the route via the Afar region severely restricted, the problem has become particularly acute.
Humanitarian convoys are facing severe problems accessing the region, as the conflict escalatesHumanitarian convoys are facing severe problems accessing the region, as the conflict escalates
The delivery of fuel, which is needed for the movement of aid and water trucks, and the operation of power generators has also been restricted by the government.
No fuel truck has entered Tigray since early August and some organisations suspended operations after fuel stocks got depleted in late September.
Fuel trucks that had received approval by the government to proceed to Tigray on 14 October were denied transit at a checkpoint in Afar, forcing them to return to Semera.
The movement of humanitarian workers has also been affected by the escalating fighting.The movement of humanitarian workers has also been affected by the escalating fighting.
Regular flights between Mekelle and the capital Addis Ababa have now resumed after they were suspended on 22 October as the government launched a series of airstrikes against targets in rebel-controlled areas.Regular flights between Mekelle and the capital Addis Ababa have now resumed after they were suspended on 22 October as the government launched a series of airstrikes against targets in rebel-controlled areas.
"The government of Ethiopia has created de facto blockades, making communications, banking, and other vital services needed for aid efforts almost non-existent," says USAID."The government of Ethiopia has created de facto blockades, making communications, banking, and other vital services needed for aid efforts almost non-existent," says USAID.
Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed has accused the TPLF of blocking humanitarian aidPrime Minister Abiy Ahmed has accused the TPLF of blocking humanitarian aid
Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed has accused the rebels of blocking humanitarian assistance to Mekelle through the Afar region.Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed has accused the rebels of blocking humanitarian assistance to Mekelle through the Afar region.
The TPLF has denied the accusation and instead blamed the government.The TPLF has denied the accusation and instead blamed the government.
"They are using conflict that is taking place in areas where there is no traffic whatsoever and he is giving all kinds of excuses and pretexts to obstruct food convoys," Getachew Reda of the TPLF told the BBC."They are using conflict that is taking place in areas where there is no traffic whatsoever and he is giving all kinds of excuses and pretexts to obstruct food convoys," Getachew Reda of the TPLF told the BBC.
Foreign Affairs Minister Redwan Hussein has also accused certain, unspecified, humanitarian organisations of working to arm the TPLF, claiming the government had caught them delivering weapons and equipment to the rebels.Foreign Affairs Minister Redwan Hussein has also accused certain, unspecified, humanitarian organisations of working to arm the TPLF, claiming the government had caught them delivering weapons and equipment to the rebels.
Doctors Without Borders (MSF) says public statements casting suspicion on aid organisations' activities are jeopardising the safety of its staff and patients.Doctors Without Borders (MSF) says public statements casting suspicion on aid organisations' activities are jeopardising the safety of its staff and patients.
The UN says 23 aid workers have been killed in the region since fighting broke out in November last year.The UN says 23 aid workers have been killed in the region since fighting broke out in November last year.
The international relief operation is also facing severe financial constraints. The UN estimates that it needs $350m in additional funding by December for the response in Tigray, and $1.3 billion for Ethiopia as a whole.The international relief operation is also facing severe financial constraints. The UN estimates that it needs $350m in additional funding by December for the response in Tigray, and $1.3 billion for Ethiopia as a whole.
Large parts of the region have been under a communications blackout and without electricity, affecting the delivery of key services.Large parts of the region have been under a communications blackout and without electricity, affecting the delivery of key services.
"Shortages of fuel and cash, as well as a communications blackout, are significantly hindering the resumption and preventing the scale-up of humanitarian response," the UN says."Shortages of fuel and cash, as well as a communications blackout, are significantly hindering the resumption and preventing the scale-up of humanitarian response," the UN says.
This report was first published in September and has been updated to include the latest information. This report was first published in July and has been updated to include the latest information.
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