ReliefWeb

SITUATION OVERVIEW

The result of the armed conflict that erupted in November 2020 in the Tigray Regional State (TRS) of Ethiopia is a tense and volatile humanitarian situation, with a rise in protection concerns, including gender-based violence (GBV) that is particularly alarming. Nearly 2 million people are displaced internally WASH within TRS and beyond in the neighbouring regional states of Amhara and Afar according to IOM’s Emergency Site Assessment (ESA) Round 6. The situation took a significant turn in late June 2021, with the Ethiopian federal government declaring a unilateral ceasefire CCCM on 28 June and abruptly suspending nearly eight months of military operations.

While humanitarian organizations are challenged to respond to the increasing humanitarian needs due to the ongoing armed confrontations owing to the reported rejection of the ceasefire, a shortage of basic supplies and services have been reported across TRS. The crisis in northern Ethiopia comes at a time when Ethiopia is still grappling with a dire humanitarian situation caused by internal displacement, continued mass repatriations from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, desert locust infestation resulting in food insecurity, and all this within the context of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.