At scene of Ethiopia's new killings, some fight, some flee

CHENNA TEKLEHAYMANOT – The odor of decease lingered for days aft the killings. The bodies, much than a twelve successful the uniforms of fighters, others successful civilian clothing, were inactive scattered connected the muddy ground.

In a adjacent churchyard, galore much were already buried — astatine slightest 59 radical killed by forces from Ethiopia's bluish Tigray region, residents alleged. Six bodies of priests were laid to remainder wrong the religion itself. In their unreserved to fly to safer areas of the Amhara region, residents said astatine times they placed aggregate bodies successful azygous graves.

At the country of 1 of the deadliest battles of Ethiopia’s 10-month Tigray conflict, witnesser accounts reflected the progressively blurred enactment betwixt combatant and civilian aft the national authorities weeks agone urged each susceptible citizens to halt the Tigray forces “once and for all.”

When the Tigray fighters captured the colony of Chenna Teklehaymanot successful the Amhara portion connected Aug. 31, soon aft a subject part defending the country near for chartless reasons, “our (local) defence forces confronted them. Ordinary radical present besides joined with immoderate they could,” said 66-year-old Dagnew Hune. He told The Associated Press helium witnessed the ensuing killings and helped to hide the dead.

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About 100 radical are inactive missing, Dagnew said connected Thursday, walking past what helium said were caller graves successful the churchyard covered with histrion branches and stones.

Local officials person said arsenic galore arsenic 200 radical successful each whitethorn person been killed implicit respective days of fighting, with the worst of it connected Sept. 4 successful Chenna Teklehaymanot aft Ethiopian forces reportedly blocked an effort by Tigray fighters to prehend the metropolis of Gondar.

The Tigray forces person since retreated north, residents said, leaving survivors to cheque the pockets of dormant fighters for clues to their identities. And immoderate questioned wherefore the part of Ethiopian soldiers had near them alone, with lone section militia and residents to support them.

Since retaking their embattled location portion from Ethiopian forces successful June, the Tigray fighters person brought the warfare into the country's neighboring regions of Afar and Amhara, wherever Chenna Teklehaymanot is located. The Tigray forces accidental they are pressuring Ethiopia’s authorities to assistance a blockade connected Tigray that has near millions of radical without telecommunications, electricity, banking services and astir each humanitarian aid.

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Now a monolithic humanitarian situation that already affects millions wrong Tigray is spreading arsenic hundreds of thousands of radical fly the Tigray fighters, fearing their retaliatory attacks. The Tigray forces person said they are not attacking civilians.

But grieving witnesses and survivors successful Chenna Teklehaymanot said the Tigray forces arrived demanding food, past killed radical who tried to defy erstwhile the fighters killed their animals oregon looted their properties.

“Many of the guiltless civilians present person mislaid their lives,” said section clergyman Yared Adamu. Holding a cross, helium walked wrong the damaged church, wherever slug casings were scattered connected the ground.

Spokesman for the Tigray forces Getachew Reda, speaking with the AP connected Friday, called allegations that Tigray fighters had targeted civilians successful the colony “absolutely, perfectly false.” He accused Amhara determination peculiar forces of forcing civilians to fight, and “of people they volition beryllium caught successful the crossfire.”

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Told that residents had not reported being forced to fight, Getachew replied, “Whatever they told you was staged drama.” He besides denied allegations that the Tigray forces were retreating.

Ethiopia’s widening war, with atrocities reported connected each sides, has led to urgent calls by the United Nations, United States and others for an contiguous cease-fire and a way to dialogue. But determination is small bid successful sight.

Ethiopia’s authorities this twelvemonth declared the Tigray People’s Liberation Front, which agelong dominated the nationalist authorities earlier Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed took office, a violent group. That designation can’t beryllium lifted until a caller national authorities is formed, apt successful aboriginal October, his spokeswoman told reporters connected Thursday.

What began arsenic a governmental quality has killed thousands since November. Now successful the Amhara region, arsenic successful Tigray, immoderate outraged civilians person joined the fight.

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Resident Kibret Bidere described himself arsenic a subordinate of the Amhara militia called the Fano. He told the AP his sister and her 1-year-old lad had been killed, and his begetter was missing.

“Even contiguous we are looking for the mislaid ones from greeting to evening, but we haven’t recovered any,” helium said, nursing an injured limb from erstwhile fighting.

The village’s accepted homes of writer and mud were emptying arsenic residents departed done the mist, searching for information elsewhere. Many had bundles connected their backs. One, a weapon propped connected his shoulder.

“Our location was attacked by dense artillery,” said Senait Ambaw, who was leaving with her husband, clutching a chicken. “All the radical of Chenna person nary location now. It’s over.”

In the adjacent municipality of Dabat, Amhara militia riding by connected a motortruck fired their guns skyward successful victory. Children ran aft them, collecting the slug casings from the ground.

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Cara Anna successful Nairobi, Kenya contributed.

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