NAIROBI, Kenya — The United Nations says Ethiopian authorities have arrested and detained some 70 truck drivers contracted to the U.N. and different support teams previously week for the reason that authorities declared a state of emergency amid the nation’s escalating war.
Wednesday’s assertion mentioned the U.N. is searching for the explanations for the arrests since Nov. 3 within the metropolis of Semera, the gateway for support convoys struggling to achieve the Tigray area underneath what the U.N. has described as a “de facto humanitarian blockade.” Authorities spokesman Legesse Tulu didn’t reply to questions.
The assertion got here a day after the U.N. mentioned not less than 16 native workers had been detained in latest days in Ethiopia’s capital, Addis Ababa. All are ethnic Tigrayans, who witnesses say have been swept up by the 1000’s for the reason that state of emergency was declared in response to reviews that Tigray forces who’ve been preventing Ethiopian forces had been approaching the capital.
Authorities spokesman Legesse instructed The Related Press the 16 U.N. staffers had been detained due to “participation in terror” unrelated to their work, with out particulars. The federal government says it’s detaining folks suspected of supporting the Tigray forces.
The brand new U.N. assertion mentioned the drivers detained are of “totally different ethnicities.” It was not clear whether or not such a big detention of drivers has occurred earlier within the struggle.
The arrests are an additional problem to efforts to ship humanitarian support to thousands and thousands of individuals within the Tigray area, which has not acquired badly needed aid provides together with meals, medicines and gas for the reason that Ethiopian army started hitting the Tigray capital with airstrikes on Oct. 18.
“It’s estimated that 80% of important treatment is now not obtainable” within the area, the U.N. humanitarian company mentioned final week. Ethiopia’s authorities is cautious that support supposed for civilians could also be diverted to assist the Tigray forces, and it has accused humanitarian teams of arming the fighters and of falsely inflating the size of the disaster, with out giving proof.
The struggle in Africa’s second-most populous nation has killed 1000’s of individuals and displaced thousands and thousands. Pressing diplomatic efforts for a direct cease-fire and talks have reported a small window of alternative, however Tigray forces spokesman Getachew Reda in a tweet on Wednesday asserted that “most ‘peace initiatives’ are primarily about saving (Ethiopia’s prime minister) … Efforts that fail to handle our circumstances and the tendency to conflate humanitarian points with political ones are doomed to fail!”
The Tigray forces dominated the nationwide authorities for 27 years earlier than a political falling-out with Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, the 2019 Nobel Peace Prize winner.
