WASHINGTON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 28th July, 2021) The United States is deeply concerned about reports of attacks against Eritrean refugees trapped in the conflict in Ethiopia's Tigray region and calls on all actors in the region to cease violence and intimidation, US State Department deputy spokesperson Jalina Porter said in a press briefing on Tuesday.
"We are deeply concerned about credible reports of attacks by military forces affiliated with the Tigray People's Liberation Front and the Tigrayan militants against Eritrean refugees in the Tigray Region, particularly, reports of violence in refugee camps," Porter said.
Porter also said the UNited States calls on "all armed actors in Tigray to stop attacks and intimidation against Eritrean forces and all refugees, asylum seekers, and people displaced by the ongoing violence, as well as against the aid workers attempting to respond to the humanitarian disaster."
Porter also called on all parties in Tigray to strictly adhere to obligations under international humanitarian law and urged those responsible for abuses to be held accountable.
Earlier on Tuesday, the UN refugee agency (UNHCR) said that about 24,000 Eritrean refugees in camps in Tigray's Mai Tsebri face intimidation and harassment and are cut off from essential humanitarian assistance, including clean drinking water and food.
The United Nations also said it received credible reports of at least one refugee in the Mai Aini camp being killed by armed actors operating in the area.
