The ICRC confirmed that it moved 161 people out of Tigray on 28 September, including African Union monitors, Ethiopian federal police personnel and their families, Ethiopian Airlines employees and their families, aviation security personnel, and members of the Ethiopian Red Cross Society. The group travelled from Mekelle to Semera in the neighbouring Afar region in buses carrying the Red Cross emblem. The ICRC said the operation was requested and approved by all the authorities concerned.
The evacuation has a direct diplomatic connection to South Africa, as Pretoria hosted the African Union-led negotiations between Ethiopia's federal government and the Tigray People's Liberation Front that concluded with a cessation-of-hostilities agreement on 2 November 2022. Former South African deputy president Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka was a member of the mediation panel. That agreement remains the framework the United Nations wants the parties to use to resume negotiations.
The development comes amid renewed fighting in northern Ethiopia, with the UN expressing concern about worsening fighting, the occupation of airports at Mekelle, Axum, and Shire, and hostilities spreading into surrounding areas. On 23 September, the UN secretary-general's spokesperson appealed for restraint, protection of civilians, and unhindered humanitarian access. The UN also supported African Union efforts, including those of former Nigerian president Olusegun Obasanjo, to bring the parties back to talks.
The ICRC said it would remain in contact with the parties and available for further operations involving vulnerable people where agreement could be secured. However, its statement did not announce another evacuation date or give a timetable for further transfers. The organisation acted as a neutral intermediary in the evacuation operation, which was carried out with the help of staff accompanying the evacuees in buses.
The evacuation operation is a significant development in the ongoing conflict in Ethiopia's Tigray region. The ICRC's efforts to evacuate vulnerable people from the conflict-affected area are crucial in providing humanitarian assistance. The African Union monitors who were evacuated were part of the peacekeeping efforts in the region.
The conflict in Tigray has been ongoing for several years, with the situation remaining volatile. The UN and other international organisations have been working to bring the parties back to negotiations. The African Union has been playing a key role in the peace process, with former Nigerian president Olusegun Obasanjo involved in efforts to bring the parties back to talks.
The ICRC's evacuation operation is a reminder of the ongoing humanitarian needs in the Tigray region. The organisation's efforts to provide assistance to vulnerable people in the region are ongoing, and it remains available for further operations where agreement can be secured. The situation in Tigray remains a concern for the international community, with ongoing efforts to bring peace and stability to the region.
Key points
- The International Committee of the Red Cross evacuated 161 people from Ethiopia's Tigray region, including African Union monitors.
- The evacuation was carried out with the help of staff accompanying the evacuees in buses.
- The ICRC remains available for further operations involving vulnerable people where agreement can be secured.
