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. CNN reported earlier that soldiers from neighboring Eritrea had continued many of the extrajudicial killings, assaults and human rights violations in the Tigray region.
“The United States is seriously concerned about reported atrocities and the overall deteriorating situation in the Tigray region of Ethiopia,” Blinken said in a statement on Saturday.
“We strongly condemn the killings, forced evictions and displacements, sexual assaults and other extremely serious human rights violations and abuses by various parties that have reported to various organizations in Tigray.” He added that “those responsible for it should be held accountable.”
Eyewitnesses told CNN that a group of Eritrean soldiers opened fire on Maryam Dengelat Church in the town of Dengelat, East Tigray, on November 30 as hundreds of congregations celebrated the mass. Dozens of people died in chaos over three days, with soldiers slaughtering locals, displaced people and pilgrims, they said.
Ethiopia responded to CNN’s request for comment with a statement that did not directly address the attack in Dengelat. Eritrea has not yet responded to CNN’s request for comment.
Amnesty International in a report on Friday accused Eritrean troops of killing hundreds of unarmed civilians in the city of Axum in November by indiscriminate shelling and shootings and extrajudicial killings, according to which the human rights organization could amount to a crime against humanity.
In his statement, Blinken acknowledged the Ethiopian Prime Minister’s commitment to allow humanitarian aid to the region, adding: ‘The international community must work together to ensure that these commitments are met.
“The immediate withdrawal of Eritrean forces and Amhara regional forces from Tigray is essential first steps,” Blinken said, referring to forces from Ethiopia’s Amhara state, which Tigray neighbors. “It must be accompanied by unilateral declarations on the cessation of hostilities by all parties to the conflict and a commitment to allow unhindered assistance to those in Tigray.”
Blinken said the US is committed to working with the international community to achieve these goals, and that the US International Development Agency will send a disaster relief response team to Ethiopia.
“We call on international partners, particularly the African Union and regional partners, to work with us to address the crisis in Tigray, including through action at the UN and other relevant bodies,” he added.
After taking control of Tigray’s largest cities in late November, Abiy declared victory and claimed no civilians had been harmed in the offensive. Abiy also denied that troops had crossed from Eritrea to Tigray to support Ethiopian forces.
CNN’s Barbara Arvanitidis, Nima Elbagir, Bethlehem Feleke, Eliza Mackintosh, Gianluca Mezzofiore and Katie Polglase contributed to this report.