As fighting keeps spreading across northern Ethiopia, civilians find themselves caught in the crossfire between opposing forces. Little information is emerging from the affected area as the internet and other communication services remain largely disrupted. However, DW managed to speak to eyewitnesses whose accounts point to a growing toll on civilians.
A 22-year-old woman from the small town of Selenwuha told DW that her relatives were sheltering at home when heavy weaponry shelling struck their residences. "I have lost six family members," she said. "Those who survived the attack, including the wounded, are currently confined to their homes.
"They have no access to medical facilities or vehicles, and the nearest treatment center is far away." According to local residents, several violent incidents took place in recent days, especially in the border region between the Tigray and Amhara regions, with multiple further reports of civilians being killed by artillery fire. The overall strategic situation on the ground meanwhile remains difficult to assess, with both rebel and federal forces reportedly making advances in different areas. DW heard from a source in Tigray that the Ethiopian National Defense Force (ENDF) keeps advancing towards the regional capital Mekelle.
The ENDDF is the country's official military force. Tigrayan forces are reportedly fighting to defend other towns, including Mekoni and Maychew in southern Tigray, the source told DW on the strict condition of anonymity. Pro-government militia and affiliated media outlets in the country had reported earlier that the ENDF had made significant progress by seizing control of Alamata in southern Tigray on September 27.
The purported takeover was also recorded by the US-based conflict-monitoring organization ACLED (Armed Conflict Location & Event Data). Located about 120 kilometers south of the regional capital Mekelle, the strategically important town is situated on a major highway. During the 2020-2022 war, Alamata changed hands several times between the two warring parties.
A 40-year-old resident of Alamata told DW that civilians had deliberately been targeted, citing the account shared by militia members in the region. "The attacks… were acts of retaliation against the people of Alamata," the local said. "The militias told us that government forces had fired the artillery at us." Another resident, aged 45, said he believed the attack had deliberately been timed to maximize civilian casualties during the opening hours of a market, "when large numbers of people would be gathered there." "At the Saturday market in Alamata, 11 people were killed and 15 others were wounded", he told DW.
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