Leader of Tigray’s forces accuses Ethiopian and Eritrean governments of genocide
The ousted leader of Ethiopia’s Tigray region has accused the federal government and its Eritrean allies of genocide and other crimes against humanity, calling on US President Joe Biden to dial up the pressure against “invader forces.”
In a rare and exclusive interview with CNN, President of the Tigray People’s Liberation Front Debretsion Gebremichael called for an independent probe into alleged killings, rape and violence, including those revealed in a CNN investigation published on Friday last week.
Eyewitnesses told CNN that a group of Eritrean soldiers opened fire in November on Maryam Dengelat church in Dengelat village, in Tigray’s east, while hundreds of congregants were celebrating mass. Dozens of people died over three days of mayhem, with soldiers slaughtering local residents, displaced people and pilgrims, they said.
Thousands of civilians are believed to have been killed since Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed launched a military operation against leaders in the Tigray region, sending in troops from the neighboring Amhara region. CNN has previously reported that soldiers from neighboring Eritrea have perpetrated many of the extrajudicial killings, assaults and human rights abuses in the Tigray region.
After seizing control of Tigray’s main cities in late November, Abiy declared victory and maintained that no civilians were harmed in the offensive.
“They are killing our people in this country, they are killing children, all ages of the population and they are conducting rape,” Debretsion told CNN in a phone interview from an undisclosed location.
“All sorts of acts of genocide have been committed in Tigray. So, the most important thing is that an investigation must be conducted,” he added.
“We are calling for an investigation into the CNN findings on the ground in Tigray.” via CNN
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