Region housing Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam witnesses armed ethnic conflict

CAIRO – 24 December 2020: In the dawn of December 23, 100 civilians were killed by armed individuals in Ethiopia's western Benishangul-Gumuz region spurring the arrest of five senior security officials by the federal government on Thursday.

Also, the Ethiopian army moved killing 42 suspects and confiscating the arms used. Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed stated that forces have been deployed in the region experiencing ethnic tensions, as reported by BBC Arabic. It is noted that the Benishangul-Gumuz region houses the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD).

Ethnic conflicts have been simmering in the African country since November 4 when Abiy Ahmed launched military operations against the Tigray Region. Atrocities occurred, and 950,000 got displaced. Of those, 50,000 fled to Sudan.

The attacks were carried out by the Ethiopian Armed Forces and the special forces of Amhara Region. Eritrean forces have amassed on borders with Tigray, and reportedly took part in the assaults. Yet, Eretria's authorities deny the allegations.  

The Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF) governing the region housing more than five million people had tensions with the federal government over the past months as the prime minister called off the elections that would take place in August.

As a result, the region's government held elections in the region in September. As a consequence, the federal government refused to approve of the results of such elections. Equally, Tigray's government considered Ahmed's government illegitimate since October 5 calling on him to resign and advocating for the formation of an interim government until elections are held.

It is noteworthy to mention that half of members of the Ethiopian Armed Forces are affiliated to the TPLF, which possesses 70 percent of missiles, and anti-aircraft warfare systems.