United Nations, Sep 2 : Fighting in northern Ethiopia has forced hundreds of thousands of people from their homes, is a challenge to the delivery of humanitarian aid an UN spokesperson said. “We as well as our partners are continuing to offer aid to the needy in the north and northerly regions, including in Afar in which over 31,000 people have been helped with food aid,” stated Stephane Dujarric who is the chief spokesman of UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres, on Thursday.
“More than 8000 patients are receiving health services since the 24th of August.”
Northernmost Tigray and the neighboring regions of Afar and Amhara are the most impacted in the north of the country, Xinhua news agency reported.
Then, Dujarric added that while the main road that leads to Mekelle is closed as well as UN Humanitarian Air Service flights into Tigray’s capital have been grounded in order to prevent the flow of aid external to the region.aid workers handed out 17 trucks of fertiliser this week to help farmers in this region during growing season.
The violence did not prevent humanitarians from distributing food aid to over 39,000 people in Tigray’s Northwestern Zone since last week, he said.
The Tens of thousands of people who were displaced by war to leave their homes this week remained in the Yallo and Gulina districts, which border Tigray as well as Chifra district, which is bordered by the Amhara region, he added.
It is reported that there is as calm in Amhara’s Dessie town, following the arrival of people who arrived on Wednesday, who had come from elsewhere in the region.
The spokesperson stated that 7 p.m.to 6 a.m.curfew has been imposed in various Amhara towns, which affects the mobility of people, and restricts the access to health services as well as commercial activities.
“We continue to appeal to all parties to the conflict to exercise the necessary precautions to protect civilians and objects of civilian use, including by allowing civilians move to safer areas in conformity with international human rights laws,” he said.
“Rapid and unhindered humanitarian access to all in need throughout northern Ethiopia is vital.”
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