Ethiopia: Alamata Fighting Leaves Trail of Civilian Casualties – Adigrat Eparch Appeals for Help
Addis Abeba — More than 50 civilians have reportedly been killed in and around Alamata, southern Tigray, during several days of intense fighting in late September, as renewed hostilities in northern Ethiopia leave residents displaced, medical facilities overwhelmed and humanitarian access increasingly difficult.
Discover moreShop African ArtPolitical commentary subscriptionBreaking news alerts A resident who fled Alamata to North Wollo Zone in the neighboring Amhara Region told Addis Standard that the fighting erupted as residents were preparing for the Saturday market.
“We were hoping for a market day on Saturday when suddenly the town was rocked by heavy artillery. Suddenly, the town looked like a full-blown war zone,” the resident said.
The resident added that hundreds had fled in search of safety and that artillery fire striking a crowded marketplace had killed “more than a dozen civilians.”
Hospital sources and a doctor at Alamata General Hospital told the BBC that at least 52 civilians were killed during approximately three days of fighting, primarily between 26 and 29 September.
The victims reportedly included children, mothers and cattle herders, with some of the shelling striking residential areas. One attack on the town’s marketplace reportedly killed 12 people.
Ethiopian capital insights The reported toll comes amid a sharp deterioration in the security situation across Tigray, where renewed clashes between federal forces and Tigrayan forces have displaced residents and disrupted essential services. Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) has also reported a significant influx of wounded people at hospitals it supports across the region.
Discover moreSocial media analysisNewsRead Daily NewsUN news coverageInternational relations analysisEthiopian import/export dataAddis Ababa travel guideEthiopian news analysisSocial affairs reportingRead Local News The fighting has been accompanied by communications disruptions, bank closures and restrictions on movement, complicating independent verification of casualty figures and limiting access to affected communities.
The humanitarian consequences are also being felt further north. The Eparch of Adigrat, Tesfaselassie Medhin, has appealed for urgent humanitarian access and dialogue, warning that the Church and local communities have been cut off from the outside world.
“We are completely isolated, communications are blocked, and we have no contact with anyone,” Medhin told Fides News Agency in a message transmitted with the support of UNICEF.
Amharic language resources “All communications are blocked; our Church, our missions, religious, the local clergy, we are in our places, as usual,” he said, adding that the Church would continue accompanying and assisting people through its presence.
Medhin described mounting difficulties as banking services have also been suspended and uncertainty grows over the ability of seminaries and schools to continue operating.
“We do not know for sure how our seminaries and schools will continue operating, but it is our intention to continue. We have no idea how we will manage provisions. Only God knows; we rely on Divine Providence,” he said.
The Eparch stressed the urgency of facilitating humanitarian access and pursuing dialogue to prevent further deterioration.
His appeal came as Pope Leo XIV expressed deep concern over the renewed hostilities in Tigray during his General Audience on September 30, urging all parties to return to dialogue.
“Armed conflict never solves problems but only worsens them, leaving in its wake a trail of death, destruction, and resentment,” the Pope said, calling for “honest engagement” as the foundation for lasting peace.
News subscription service He also urged the international community to make a timely contribution to ensuring humanitarian assistance reaches people in need.
The renewed fighting follows months of escalating tensions and mutual accusations of violations of the November 2022 Pretoria Agreement, which ended the two-year war in Tigray. The latest escalation has raised fresh concerns over the durability of the peace agreement and the risk of a wider conflict in northern Ethiopia.
Pro-government forces have since recaptured Alamata, a strategically important town approximately 120 kilometers south of Mekelle, and subsequently advanced northward.
However, tensions also intensified in the areas between the Tigray Peace Force and members of the Raya Zeb, a newly organized paramilitary force established by the Amhara Regional State. The friction reportedly escalated after federal forces mobilized further toward Mehoni, amid indications of preparations for a possible advance toward Mekelle, the regional capital.
By Addis Standard.
