
Ethiopia: FDRE Government Communication Service – 74 trucks carrying food items and fuel are on their way from Afar, Semera to Tigray, Mekelle (23.04.2022)















“Happening NOW! 150 containers of ammunition are entering Afar through the Djibouti boarder accompanied by 12 patrols, under drone surveillance. We must act now to stop the looming war. Heavy ammunitions are being stocked up in Semera and there are reports of 100s of soldiers getting deployed to Zone 4 (Afar/Tigray border) earlier today. Abiy Ahmed Ali is preparing yet another bloody war while fooling the rest of the world. We must wake up. Act Now!” (Afar Federalist Diaspora Coordination Committee, 17.04.2022).
“Emergency food assistance immediately needed to avert famine and starvation the following towns of northern Afar:
❗️Dallol
❗️Barhale
❗️Konnaba
❗️Abaala
❗️Magaale
❗️Eribti and areas
❗️Other towns and kebeles in northern Afar under the TPLF occupation” (Afar Watch, 17.04.2022).
The Afar Region is in the centre and is carrying a blunt of the forces of the region. The reports however is stating that the Afar Regions Special Forces and the Pastoralists themselves is fencing of the invaders of the region.
The Tigray Defence Force has attacked parts of the Afar region for months now. While Issa-Somali militia continues with steady skirmishes. It is also alleged that the Oromo Liberation Army has attacked the region during the last few days. Therefore, it is the centre of the conflict and a hot-spot of atrocities.
While there is no proof of new enforcement or recruits sent from other regions to back the Afar Region up. Neither is there any reports of the Ethiopian National Defence Force (ENDF) sending troops there. There was reports during March and early April of troops moving closer to the Amhara borders towards the Tigray region. While there has been no new advances or escalation thereof.
We know the state have announced their Humanitarian Truce with the Tigray region, but that is hallow and haven’t been substantial. With the knowledge and basis of former acts of the Federal State. As the “offensive” in the Oromia would wind down. There could be a possible a re-enforcement and re-engagement in Tigray from Afar. As the TDF is already there and they have a front-line there.
That wouldn’t shock anyone. The problems of the region is only becoming worse. As the Afar region is becoming a war-zone and a conflict area. Where the guns is never silenced. Where the battles are made and the homes are destroyed. Villages burned and people killed, as result of the senseless killing on all sides. The war is brutal and no one is left untouched.
We know this is happening, just like the Afar People’s Party reported on the 13th April: “According to the fire that happened in Samurobi Geleelu Woreda, 162 residential and commercial shops have been burned down. Information shows that the estimated property of more than 56 million birr has been destroyed. And this has put the people affected by war, drought and cost of life in a worse situation. The Afar People’s Party expresses its deepest condolences to the families of the victims of the accident. I kindly request all the people of our country, charity organizations and international accident prevention organizations to extend their support to the families that have been affected by this Ramadan month” (Afar People’s Party, 13.04.2022).
This isn’t an isolated incident, as the war is ravaging and the conflict is hurting more people. That why zones, villages and towns are damaged. The various armed groups is creating this hostile territory and the Federal Government isn’t supporting the Regional State. They have moved possible ammunition for an offensive. But who knows when that happens and when they reinforce the ENDF there.
We know it is legit when Amhara Para-Military Group “Fano” is sending brigades to the Afar region and the Eritrean Defence Force (EDF) has sent troops too. When that happens. Then you know a counter-offensive against the Tigray Defence Force (TDF) is in the works and on schedule. Until then, the rumours are circulating and sooner or later something is happening. Peace.

“All 50 trucks just arrived safely in #Mekelle, bringing essential humanitarian supplies including:
➡️1,000mt of wheat & pulses
➡️700mt of health, nutrition & WASH items
+ 115,000 litres of fuel” (World Food Programme Ethiopia, 15.04.2022).
Since the humanitarian truce of 24th March 2022 and that is 22 days of supposed opening of entry to the Tigray region. However, previously there has only come about 21 trucks into the region early in April. Now by the middle of the month on the 15th April it has come another 50 trucks. The United Nations and World Food Programme (WFP) praising the FDRE over it is obnoxious. When you know how the state has been working and using food insecurity as a weapon.
The region by previous estimates of needs are 100 trucks per day. In the middle of only the humanitarian truce by now. It would mean the UN and WFP should have driven convoys of a 100, every single day. However, they are barely scraping that after two famous entries of about 75 trucks on max. That isn’t something to salute. In the time of the Humanitarian Truce the region should have seen about 2000 trucks and such. To be exact, the state should have ensured that the region could see 2200 trucks get into Tigray.
The recent OCHA reports states the situation like this:
“Humanitarian partners have not been able to move any additional aid supplies into Tigray via the Semera-Abala-Mekelle since the convoy of 20 trucks with food and nutrition supplies and one fuel tanker that arrived on 1 and 2 April, the first convoy since 15 December 2021. Humanitarian organizations in Tigray are facing growing challenges in reaching people in need due to shortages of essential supplies, and the continuing suspension of basic essential services, including banking, electricity, and communications. Food partners, for instance, remain with only around 1,300 metric tons (MT) of food commodities within Tigray out of which, there is merely enough stock or 360 MT to feed about 21,000 people with a balanced three-commodity food basket for one round. Between 4 and 8 April, humanitarian partners airlifted 100 MT of nutrition and medical supplies to Mekelle, Tigray. As of 11 April, the total amount of medical and nutrition supplies airlifted since the first cargo flight on 24 January is about 538 MT, equivalent to only 13 trucks of humanitarian supplies. The supplies included about 36 MT of HIV anti-retroviral medicines, the first time since July 2021. This will be enough to treat 46,000 HIV patients for six months. The airlifts remain limited to low quantities between 5 and 13 MT per flight and were prioritized according to the most urgent lifesaving needs, therefore cannot fill in the significant gap between the needs on the ground and the supplies delivered” (OCHA, 14.04.2022).
“More than 9 million people need food assistance in northern Ethiopia and food assistance will be required throughout 2022 across northern Ethiopia. Provision of food assistance in hard-to-reach areas in Tigray, Amhara and Afar. Increased food needs due to increased number of IDPs in parts of Amhara and in Afar” (OCHA, 14.04.2022).
So, when you read what the last round of humanitarian assistance was able to help, which is about 21,000 people. You know the amount of trucks of humanitarian assistance versus the needs of the millions of people. It is easy to see the gaps which is enormous. This just shows how the humanitarian assistance have been weaponized and it’s a man-made famine.
The entries of the about the 75 trucks is only an anomaly and only patches the hurt, but it doesn’t fix the problems. This isn’t something to celebrate or sound victories. No, this is just disgraceful and shows how distasteful the FDRE are. The FDRE and Tripartite Alliance has created this monster, they are proud of blocking people’s ability to eat and starve them on-mass. That’s why they have allowed 75 trucks in a period the state should have seen over 2000 trucks should have entered the same area. That’s how unserious and careless they are about the plights of the Tigray region. The Addis Ababa and Asmara ruling elites wouldn’t care if Mekelle would burn to the ground and be left in the dust. That is what they are doing and we are not supposed to say anything.
The 75 trucks isn’t worth texts of gravitas and sending pigeons to Bahir Dar. No, it deserves contempt, as much contempt as the current regime has for the Tigray region. Peace.


