Humanitarian Tragedy: Ethiopian Troops Accused of Executing Aid Workers in Tigray

The medical charity Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) has accused Ethiopian government troops of executing three aid workers in June 2021, highlighting a lack of accountability amidst the conflict in Tigray. MSF's investigation suggests that the personnel were shot at close range despite clearly identifying themselves as humanitarian workers.

Ethiopian troops allegedly executed three employees of Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) during a humanitarian mission in the Tigray region, according to a senior MSF official's claims to the BBC. This revelation follows the release of an MSF report detailing the "intentional and targeted" killings of the three workers—one Spanish and two Ethiopian—amid escalating violence in the area four years ago. "They were executed," stated Raquel Ayora, MSF's general director in Spain, describing the circumstances in which the aid workers were shot at close range multiple times.

The charity's findings come at a time when the Ethiopian government has reportedly failed to provide a satisfying account concerning the incident, despite MSF's attempts to engage through numerous official meetings over the past four years. The victims, María Hernández Matas, aged 35, Yohannes Halefom Reda, 32, and Tedros Gebremariam, 31, were killed on June 24, 2021, while assessing medical needs in central Tigray. They were wearing identifiable MSF vests, and their vehicle prominently displayed the charity's logos, suggesting that the soldiers were aware they were targeting humanitarian workers, according to Ayora.

The conflict in Tigray erupted in 2020 due to tensions between regional and federal authorities, exacerbated by Eritrean intervention, and officially ended two years later following a peace agreement brokered by the African Union. The ongoing violence resulted in horrific humanitarian consequences, with researchers estimating around 600,000 deaths, largely due to the fighting, starvation, and inadequate health care.

MSF reported that hostility towards aid workers escalated as the conflict intensified. Ayora noted that María, who had been in Tigray prior to the war, was deeply respected by local communities, and her tragic death has significantly affected her family. Similarly, the news of Tedros’s death after the birth of his daughter, who was named Maria in memory of the slain Spanish aid worker, has particularly struck the hearts of many, adding to the grief surrounding the incident.

The bodies of the deceased workers were discovered in proximity to their vehicle, which had been set ablaze. Eyewitness accounts establish that military orders were issued to shoot at the vehicle when it was seen approaching, implicating Ethiopian troops directly in the tragic event. MSF utilized satellite imagery, witness testimonies, and public military movements to substantiate claims of military responsibility for the killings. Although Ethiopian officials indicated to MSF that preliminary findings did not implicate government troops, they have failed to provide written confirmation, leaving the charity and the public demanding accountability amidst rising violence against aid workers globally.