Timeline
April 7, 2021
[GBV, Trigger Warning, Violence] Associated Press (AP) reports ethnic cleansing in Tigray. The report is comprised of interviews with refugees in Hamdayet, Sudan.
April 5-6, 2021
Latest round of GERD negotiations ended with “no progress.” Ethiopia is going ahead with its second year plan to fill the Dam. The other parties say Ethiopia is violating international law.
April 3, 2021
Ethiopia says Eritrean troops are withdrawing from Ethiopia, but how can we verify this amidst a continued communications blackout?
April 2, 2021
GERD negotiations will continue between Sudan, Ethiopia, and Egypt this weekend. The three day long meeting will take place in the DRC and will be hosted by Congolese President Felix Tshisekedi, who is also the chairman of the African Union.
April 1, 2021
Despite agreements to do so, Eritrean troops still haven’t left Ethiopia.
March 27-31, 2021
Egyptian leader Abdel Fatteh al-Sissi says Egypt’s portion of the Nile waters are “untouchable” in an apparent warning to Ethiopia, though he did not mention the country by name. Egypt is seeking a legally binding agreement based on international laws that provide guidance about cross border rivers.More negotiations are expected to come in the coming weeks.
March 26, 2021
Tigray included in “UN Daily Wrap” for two days in a row. A joint probe by the High Commissioner’s Office (OHCHR) and the Ethiopian Human Rights Commission (EHRC) will investigate human rights abuses.
March 25, 2021
The US says that Ethiopia rejected the US unilateral ceasefire call. The Abiy administration dismissed claims of “ethnic cleansing”
March 24, 2021
Prime Minister Abiy’s statement to Parliament regarding Eritrean troops in Ethiopia. He admits that Eritrean soldiers are in Tigray, but not at his direction.
March 23, 2021
MSF reports that four men were dragged off a bus and killed in the presence of MSF staff in Tigray. The men were killed be Ethiopian troops.
March 19, 2021
For the first time in a while, an article from NYT. Conflict continues but has been met with new urgency. Secretary of State Blinken used “ethnic cleansing”, and reports of sexual violence and famine as a war tactic take root.
March 18, 2021
Senator Chris Coons (D-DE) will be traveling to Ethiopia at the President’s request in what this article calls a “warning shot” to Ethiopia. Cameron Hudson says this tactic is similar to the shuttle diplomacy we saw in the conflict in Darfur. The move sends a powerful message to Abiy.
March 17, 2021
[POLICY OPTIONS] From International Crisis Group, a detailed report outlines that national elections are scheduled for 2021 but ethnic nationalism has contributed to the incredibly violent armed conflict.
March 15, 2021
MSF condemns attacks on hospitals and medical facilities in Tigray. Damage sustained by hospitals have left medical professionals unable to treat wounds from the war and attend to basic medical needs of citizens.
March 14, 2021
[GERD] “Sudan formally requests 4 party mediation over Ethiopian dam.” Sudan has asked the AU, UN, EU, and USA to mediate according to Sudanese foriegn ministry. Concerns over Nile water being used to fill the dam continues.
March 12, 2021
Secretary of State Tony Blinken thanks UN Secretary General for a “constructive call” about Ethiopia, Burma, and Afghanistan
March 11, 2021
AU Chairperson H.E. Moussa Faki Mahamat met with Foreign Affairs Minister of Ethiopia Ato Demeke Mekonnen to discuss how the African Commission on Human and Peoples Rights (ACHPR) will engage in the “alleged human rights violations” in Tigray.
- The investigation was proposed by PM Abiy during a summit-level meeting of the AU Peace and Security Council meeting on March 9, 2021.
March 10, 2021
US Secretary of State Tony Blinken says “ethnic cleansing” is taking place in western Tigray. This is the first time the US has used the term definitively
March 9, 2021
BBC reports the Oromo Liberation Front (OLF) will not take part in the June elections.
March 8, 2021
[ARGUMENT PIECE] Need a multilateral push to force Eritrean troops to withdraw from Ethiopia. MSF says we need to scale up humanitarian response
March 6, 2021
Compelling report from Deutsche Welle that outlines gender based violence and looting of hospitals in Adigrat
March 5, 2021
Representative Jim Risch (R-ID) reintroduced Senate resolution S. Res: “A resolution calling on the Government of Ethiopia and the Tigray People’s Liberation Front to cease all hostilities, protect the human rights of all Ethiopians, and pursue a peaceful resolution of the conflict in the Tigray region of Ethiopia” The resolution shares the same name as S. Res. 798 introduced in December 2020. The full text of the bill is here.
April 4, 2021
PM Abiy says federal forces are fighting a “guerilla war” with the TPLF
March 4, 2021
UNSC session ended without an agreement. Russia and China, permanent members, objected to a joint statement citing grounds that it would “interfere with Ethiopia’s internal affairs.”
March 3, 2021
PM Abiy announces that humanitarian workers will have unfettered access to operate in Tigray (at their own risk) so long as they notify the Ministry of Peace.
March 2, 2021
Debretsion Gebremichael, president of the TPLF accuses Eritrea and Ethiopia of genocide and called for an independent probe into the violence. This story comes after the publication of the massacre at Dengelat, also published by CNN late last week.
March 1, 2021
Blinken calls on AU to “exert pressure” in Tigray. (Uplifting news is that several news outlets have picked up his statement. Hopefully this indicates that the conflict is being brought to the attention of a diverse audience”
February 28, 2021
Latest UNOCHA Situation Report
February 27, 2021
Linda Thomas-Greendfield, US Ambassador to the United Nations read a statement from her meetings with members of the UN Security Council.
February 26, 2021
Alleged burning of crops by Ethiopian and Eritrean soldiers to create a man-made famine. Video from NYT (article?)
February 25, 2021
Opposition politicians Jawar Mohammed, Bekele Gerba, Hamza Adane, and Dejene Tafa are still on a hunger strike. The strike started almost one month ago and their conditions are deteriorating.
February 24, 2021
Health situation in Tigray: information about specific hospitals and centers that are not operational
February 23, 2021
UN Human Rights Council meeting will discuss Tigray, along with other human rights abuses. Sounds like a 4 week session starting Monday 2/22 – March 23 we can expect more coverage?
February 19, 2021
President of Ethiopia posts statement denouncing sexual violence after visiting Mekele.
February 18, 2021
AP coverage of the massacre in Axum.
February 17, 2021
Political detainees have been on a hunger strike for the past two weeks.
February 16, 2021
Ethiopian government seeking complete control over the narrative of the conflict, detaining and jailing journalists since the start of the conflict.
February 10, 2021
February 8, 2021
Good first step as UN and other humanitarian organizations get approval to deploy assistance
February 7, 2021
Jan Egeland, now head of the Norwegian Refugee Council, was more blunt: “In all my years as an aid worker, I have rarely seen a humanitarian response so impeded and unable to deliver in response for so long, to so many with such pressing needs.”
February 6, 2021
African Union heads of state and government meet for a leaders summit in Addis Ababa.
February 5, 2021
Ethiopian government said humanitarian aid agencies can enter Tigray, but the agencies themselves say access is still limited. Crisis Group’s William Davison reports to Al Jazeera: (3 minute video interview w/ Davison
February 4, 2021
President Biden outlines foreign policy plan in speech at State Department
February 3, 2021
UN alert: Aid needed to alleviate suffering in Tigray
- People continue to need all forms of assistance: food, medical supplies, WASH initiatives, shelter, etc.
- RPC’s send a letter to US Congressmen to address the conflict. Intel that Abiy’s administration is monitoring all phone calls
- “Ireland, Estonia, France, Norway, Britain and the US requested the closed-door meeting, the diplomats said.” This article comes just before the UN included Tigray in its “Daily Wrap” newsletter. This signals that the US now has an interest in this conflict, despite not really showing interest in it thus far.
February 1, 2021
Al-shabaab claims responsibility for a terrorist attack in Somalia that killed 5 and wounded dozens others.
February 1, 2021
Al-shabaab claims responsibility for a terrorist attack in Somalia that killed 5 and wounded dozens others.
January 31, 2021
“Removed leader of Ethiopia’s Tigray promises ‘resistance’: Audio”. The audio has not been verified via Al Jazeera yet. This indicates that the TPLF is continuing to fight, as is the Ethiopian government.
January 28, 2021
USIP publications on the conflict
January 27, 2021
“The concern is what we don’t know,” says Henrietta Fore, UNICEF’s Executive Director. Reports estimate about 300 unaccompanied children have fled and are now in refugee camps.
January 26, 2021
WP: Eritrean soldiers continue to loot, kill, and target refugees in the conflict. Witnesses describe to the Washington Post horrific accounts of boys and men, some as young as seven, being killed. Eritrean have been identified because of their dialect of the Tigrinya language. The full extent of Eritrea’s involvement in the conflict remains unknown. The Ethiopian government continues to deny Eritrea’s involvement despite a military commander confirming their involvement in December 2020.
January 23, 2021
Former Foreign Minister Seyoum Mesfin was tracked down and killed by Ethiopian forces. The government claims he died in a shootout, but Mr. Seyoum’s allies say he was executed.
January 22, 2021
Violence continues as the UN warns of serious rape and other forms of gender-based violence in Tigray. Deputy Prime Minister Demeke Mekonnen says “85%” of humanitarian corridors are now open in Tigray
January 21, 2021
United Nations Special Representative of the Secretary-General on Sexual Violence in Conflict Pramila Patten released a statement about the seriousreports of sexual violence occurring in the conflict.
January 20, 2121
Notre Dame hosts “Crisis in Ethiopia Flash Panel” with William Davison
January 19, 2021
UNHCR calls for “swift action” in Tigray. The UNHCR was granted a one-time admittance and found that Eritrean refugees in Mai Aini and Adi Harush refugee camps are in desperate need of assistance. Shimelba and Hitsats refugee camps are still inaccessible.
January 15, 2021
Al Jazeera explains why tensions in the al-Fashqa triangle have escalated again.
January 14, 2021
Smaller instances of violence are occurring around the country. Prime Minister Abiy is trying to put out these metaphorical fires while maintaining the narrative the conflict in Tigray has settled. Dozens died in the Benishangul-Gumuz region when a gunman stormed a village. Regional experts say the focus of the administration and the concentration of troops in Tigray has left room for tensions to grow, like in Benishangul-Gumuz. Many of the victims were ethnic minorities of the Amhara and Agaw groups. This is the second apparent attack since December 22, 2020. The attack in December left more than 100 dead just one day after Prime Minister Abiy visited the region in an attempt to calm the tensions.
January 13, 2021
The Europe External Policy Advisors (EEPA) release daily reports about the conflict and the broader implications the conflict will have on the Horn of Africa.
January 12, 2021
Tensions are rising between Ethiopia and Sudan over disputed al-Fashqa territory. Though Ethiopian farmers have settled on the land for years, al-Fashqa triangle is officially within Sudan’s international boundaries. and Ethiopian farmers have settled on the land for years. Ethiopian troops killed five civilians, including one child, after going 5 km into Sudanese claimed territory. The UN reports a buildup of military forces on both sides.
January 11, 2021
Ethiopia kills 15 Tigrayan forces and captures 8. Former Tigray president Abay Weldu and VP Abraham Tekeste are among those captured.
January 10, 2021
A new round of negotiations about the GERD stalled again. The AU has brokered the talks thus far, but they continue to dissolve. Each country has its own reasoning as to why the talks continue to fail, usually blaming other countries.
January 8, 2021
UN fears a massive COVID-19 outbreak due to crowded camps, transportation, and a lack of medical facilities. Only five out of forty hospitals are physically accessible in Tigray. Hospitals have been looted and targeted in attacks since the beginning of the conflict. It is still unclear who is responsible for the destruction of hospitals. Attacking hospitals is a war crime.
January 5, 2021
Reuters cameraman that was arrested on December 29 is released.
January 4, 2021
Foreign Policy includes Tigray in their “Top 10 Conflicts to Watch for 2021.” This is the second year the conflict has made the list.
January 3, 2021
As predicted, al-Shabaab is emboldened by the withdrawal of Ethiopian and U.S. troops.
January 3, 2021
As predicted, al-Shabaab is emboldened by the withdrawal of Ethiopian and U.S. troops.
December 31, 2020
Aid organizations are still largely cut off in Tigray; aid organizations are concerned that women, particularly pregnant women and newborn babies are especially vulnerable.
December 30, 2020
Abiy Ahmed is facing a legitimacy crisis.
December 29, 2020
Crackdowns on the press in Ethiopia: Reuters cameraman arrested in his home in Addis Ababa. He will be held in detention for two weeks but charges will not be pressed against him.
December 28, 2020
“Some 25,000 Eritrean refugees, sheltering in two camps in the unsettled Tigray region of Ethiopia, have received desperately needed food aid for the first time since mid-October.”
December 22, 2020
Civilians killed: Artillery strikes in Tigray, concerning UNHCR, UN, and others of human rights and humanitarian law violations. Without communications and workers on the ground, it is still hard to verify what is going on.
December 21, 2020
African Union (AU) says Ethiopia acted legitimately in Tigray. This is the first major group to release a statement identifying actions as legitimate. The U.S. condemned TPLF for their attacks on ENDF bases and Eritrea but did not go as far as saying Ethiopian forces acted legitimately.
December 20, 2020
IGAD recognizes Ethiopian efforts as “legal and legitimate.” IGAD is the second group to recognize Ethiopian actions as such.
December 18, 2020
Two sides of the conflict: 1) a strong, central government should be preserved at any cost (Abiy and his supporters) VS. TPLF and OLF (Oromo Liberation Front) “highlight the imperial legacy of the country, portraying it as a so-called prison of nations and nationalities that ought to be significantly reformed or dismantled.”
December 17, 2020
Aid released
- UN releases $36M for WASH and medical supplies to aid the conflict. The funds will be allocated between Ethiopia and Sudan to deal with injuries and refugees.
- Central Emergency Response Fund (UN CERF) released $13M, a further $5M to refugees arriving in Sudan.
- UN Humanitarian Fund in Ethiopia: $12M
- UN Sudan Humanitarian Fund: $5.6M
December 16, 2020
Locust re-invasion is threatening food supplies in the Horn of Africa. This infestation is reaching countries that are already struggling with violence, famine, and climate change. The locusts are a result of excessive breeding and good weather. They are predicting an increase in the number of locusts in the coming months. “The UN agency requires a further $40 million to increase surveillance and control activities in the worst affected countries – Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen – next year.”
December 15, 2020
“The head of the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS), has appealed for the international community to remain focused on the country as it continues to make gains on the political and peacebuilding fronts.” South Sudan is working to transform into a transitional government, in line with its 2018 peace agreement.
December 14, 2020
Sudan is removed from the United States “State Sponsors of Terrorism” list. Sudan agreed to pay $335 million to settle claims from U.S. embassy bombings in Kenya and Tanzania in 1998 and the bombing of the USS Cole off the coast of Yemen in 2000. The bombings killed 224 people, 12 of which were Americans.
December 13, 2020
Sudanese Prime Minister visits Ethiopia to discuss conflict: Sudan’s Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok offered to broker a ceasefire, but the Ethiopian government said this was unnecessary because fighting had stopped. The trip was set to be two days, but Prime Minister Hamdok returned to Sudan after a few hours. The Ethiopian government is now saying “The military altercation has ceased with the command of Mekelle … The provisional administration has [been] set up and a regional council formed in Tigray.”
December 12, 2020
Discrimination and abuse from Ethiopian authorities: Ethnic tensions and harassment rise around the country for Tigrayans as the conflict continues.
December 11, 2020
Aid efforts continue Additional calls to reach refugees by UN and UNHCR. Airlifts have started, but they are struggling to maintain contact in Sudan. WFP is providing food assistance to regions of Sudan taking in refugees.
December 9, 2020
Ethiopia rejects international probes into the conflict: “We don’t need a babysitter” senior official Redwan Hussein says as international organizations call for transparency in the conflict. At least one major massacre has occurred, people fear there will be more violence.
December 8, 2020
U.S. Diplomats release credible reports that Eritrea has joined the war. Prime Minister Abiy and Eritrea regard TPLF as a common foe.
December 6, 2020
The conflict has been exacerbated by the humanitarian and coronavirus crises. There are now an estimated 300,000 IDPs and an estimated 56,000 refugees.
December 4, 2020
The Ethiopian government says military operations have stopped, but the struggle appears to continue in mountainous parts of the region. International mediation and humanitarian efforts have been denied thus far. The region is still experiencing transportation and communications blackouts.
December 3, 2020
Ethiopian troops block refugees from crossing into Hamdayat, Sudan.
December 2, 2020
The UN reaches a deal with the Ethiopian government to allow “unimpeded humanitarian access in the Tigray region.” Aid will also reach the Amhara and Afar, where fighting has spilled over. While this is a step forward, organizations are only allowed to operate in ENDF controlled areas of Tigray.
December 1, 2020
Tigray’s leader Debretsion Gebremichael called on Prime Minister Abiy to “stop the madness” and said that Tigray was continuing to be attacked despite Prime Minister Abiy’s victory claim. Gebremichael accuses the Ethiopian government of launching a “genocidal campaign.”
November 29, 2020
ICRC says supplies are running dangerously low, echoing numerous humanitarian organizations. After almost a month into this conflict, thousands of refugees have fled to Sudan. Four Eritrean refugee camps are struggling with low supplies and limited contact with humanitarian organizations.
November 28, 2020
Ethiopian government gains control of Mekele. Prime Minister Abiy said the government reclaimed the Mekele airport and a major command post and that there were no casualties. Conflicting reports and videos released showed shelling in the city. Reports of attacks on medical facilities.
November 27, 2020
In the background of this conflict, humanitarian organizations have been scrambling to fund and assemble aid for the estimated million displaced people and thousands of refugees. The first of four UNCHR humanitarian airlifts for refugees lands in Khartoum. By November 5, more than 30,000 people had crossed the border into Sudan.UN Secretary-General António Guterres expressed concern over the growing conflict.
November 24, 2020
Sudanese Red Crescent Society creates shelters, kitchens, and medical facilities as Tigrayan refugees cross the border in the Sudanese Kasala state.
November 22, 2020
Prime Minister Abiy gives forces 72 hours to surrender but the TPLF has vowed to keep fighting.
November 21, 2020
AU appointed three high-level envoys to aid in the crisis. The envoys are Joaquim Chissano, former President of Mozambique; Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, former Liberian President, and Kgalema Motlanthe, former President of South Africa.
November 20, 2020
Ethiopia dismisses mediation offers from the AU.
November 19, 2020
In September 2020, the Eritrean Hitsats refugee camp that once accommodated more than 25,000 Eritrean refugees was closed. Refugees were to be relocated to Mai Aini and Adi Harush camps. In November 2020, Eritrean soldiers invaded the camp and forced the remaining refugees back into Eritrea, whose border was about 30 miles away.
November 10, 2020
AU urges a ceasefire and peaceful discussions between the ENDF and the TPLF. Neither the Ethiopian government or the TPLF responded for comment.
November 9, 2020
Mai Kadra massacre; apparent ethnically based attack in Mai Kadra, Tigray region. The attack is reportedly unrelated to the ongoing conflict between the TPLF and the ENDF.
November 6, 2020
Ethiopia carries out a round of airstrikes in Tigray. Prime Minister Abiy worked to gain full federal control over the region and strip the TPLF of power.
November 5, 2020
Ethiopian forces invade Tigray and shelling continues as the conflict grows between Tigray and the Ethiopian government.
November 4, 2020
Prime Minister Abiy accuses TPLF forces of attacking an ENDF military base in northern Tigray and mobilizes troops to respond. Prime Minister Abiy said the mission was to “save the country and the region from spiraling instability” after months of “provocation and incitement.”
October 2020
National elections are likely to be held in May or June 2021. Delaying national elections has allowed Prime Minister Abiy to stay in office past his term limit.
June-September 2020
Prime Minister Abiy postpones national elections citing coronavirus concerns. Tigray holds elections despite the delay in national elections. Prime Minister Abiy refuses to recognize Tigray’s election results and the TPLF view Prime Minister Abiy as illegitimate.
2019
Foreign Policy listed the conflict as a “conflict to watch in the year ahead”. The conflict between Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed and the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) deepened as Prime Minister Abiy worked to “dismantle the TPLF’s grip on state institutions, deepening their political rivalry.”