Ethiopian Rebel Group TPLF Accused of Executing Civilians

Ethiopian rebel group, Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF), has been accused of executing civilians.

A report released by rights lobby, Human Rights Watch, on Friday indicated that the rebel group carried out civilian executions in the Tigray and Amhara regions during past battles.

“Tigrayan forces summarily executed dozens of civilians in two towns they controlled in Ethiopia’s northern Amhara region between August 31 and September 9, 2021.

“These killings highlight the urgent need for the United Nations Human Rights Council to establish an international investigative mechanism into abuses by all warring parties in the expanded Tigray conflict,” said the lobby group.

Locals in affected areas said that TPLF forces who entered the village called Chenna, in late August executed 26 civilians in fifteen separate incidents, before withdrawing on September 4.

“In the town of Kobo on September 9, Tigrayan forces summarily executed a total of 23 people in four separate incidents, witnesses said. The killings were in apparent retaliation for attacks by farmers on advancing Tigrayan forces earlier that day” HRW added.

Lama Fakih, Human Rights Watch Crisis and Conflict Director averred that the rebel group showed disregard for human life by killing those in their custody.

“These killings and other atrocities by all sides to the conflict underscore the need for an independent international inquiry into alleged war crimes in Ethiopia’s Tigray and Amhara regions,” said Lama.

“Nineteen people described seeing Tigrayan fighters in Chenna and Kobo summarily executing a total of 49 people who they said were civilians, providing 44 names. The organization also obtained three lists of civilians who had allegedly been killed in Chenna between August 31 and September 4.

“Taken together, the lists contain 74 names, 30 of which witnesses and relatives of those killed also mentioned to Human Rights Watch. In addition to summary executions, civilians may also have been killed during the fighting from crossfire or heavy weapons. Human Rights Watch was not able to determine how many were killed in this way,” read the report.

HRW added that four residents described the summary execution of 23 people, including farmers returning to Kobo, in four incidents in the town.