Ethiopia: Murder of Three Aid Workers in Tigray By Ethiopian Army Was ‘Deliberate and Targeted’: MSF Finding

Addis Abeba — Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) has concluded that the killing of its three staff members, María Hernández Matas, Tedros Gebremariam Gebremichael, and Yohannes Halefom Reda, in central Tigray on 24 June 2021 was a “deliberate and targeted attack,” confirming the presence of an Ethiopian National Defense Forces (ENDF) convoy in the area at the time of the killing.

In a report released today following a lengthy internal review, MSF Spain President Paula Gil stated: “This was not the result of crossfire, nor was it a tragic mistake. Our colleagues were killed in what can only be described as a deliberate attack.”

The three humanitarian workers were travelling in a clearly marked MSF vehicle near Abi Adi when they were intercepted and shot multiple times at close range. Their bodies were later found up to 400 meters from their bullet-riddled and burned vehicle.

Speaking to the BBC, Raquel Ayora of MSF the three air workers were “executed.”

“They were facing their attackers [and] were shot at very close range… several times,” Raquel said.

“Given the substantiated information confirming ENDF presence at the time of the attack, it is both unconscionable and unacceptable that the Ethiopian authorities have consistently failed to conclude a credible investigation and share its findings” Paula

According to MSF, its internal review was launched immediately after the attack and confirmed that all three victims were clearly identifiable as humanitarian staff, wearing white vests marked with the MSF logo and operating in a visibly branded vehicle. The organization further cited open-source satellite imagery, media reports, and civilian witnesses confirming that a large ENDF convoy was retreating along the same route on the same day. One witness even reported hearing an ENDF commander on the radio ordering the shooting of a white vehicle and to “remove them.”

“Given the substantiated information confirming ENDF presence at the time of the attack, it is both unconscionable and unacceptable that the Ethiopian authorities have consistently failed to conclude a credible investigation and share its findings,” Paula added.

Despite repeated assurances from the Ethiopian government, MSF says no credible answers have been provided in the four years since the killings.

“In the absence of any official account, we have a moral obligation towards our staff and the families of our late colleagues to make our own findings public – a necessary step to shed light on a brutal killing that must not be ignored or buried,” says Paula.

“We can only assume that there is insufficient political will to share the findings of a completed investigation.”

The review also highlights MSF’s numerous efforts to engage with both the federal government and the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF), the two forces operating in the area at the time, and notes over 20 high-level meetings and multiple formal submissions to the Ethiopian Ministry of Justice.

Addis Standard previously reported in July 2022 that MSF Paula Gil concluded a six-day visit to Ethiopia without accessing Tigray or securing planned meetings with federal officials.

“It is with great disappointment that I concluded a six-day visit to Addis Abeba,” MSF told Addis Standard at the time, citing lack of government cooperation. “I was not granted permission to visit Tigray, nor could I meet any representatives from the Federal Government, despite repeated requests.”

The killing of María, Tedros, and Yohannes is seen as emblematic of the growing dangers faced by humanitarian workers in Ethiopia.

In a February 2024 report, the UN revealed that 46 humanitarian workers had been killed in Ethiopia since 2019, with 36 of those deaths “directly linked to conflicts in northern Ethiopia.” The organization called for thorough investigations, stating it had “engaged with respective government institutions regarding the speedy investigation and the necessary process to bring perpetrators of these and previously committed crimes to justice.”

“Their murder must not be forgotten or met with silence,” MSF’s Gil emphasized. “If such a blatant attack goes uninvestigated, it sets a dangerous precedent for Ethiopia and reinforces a disturbing global pattern of impunity for attacks on aid workers.”

By Addis Standard.