Conflicts in Ethiopia leave massive material damage behind

AMHARA, ETHIOPIA - DECEMBER 17: Military vehicles damaged by rebels are seen after Ethiopian army took control of Dessie town of Amhara city from the rebel Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF) in Ethiopia. The expanding Tigrayan conflict has forced at least 2 million from their homes across Tigray, Amhara, and Afar, and many civilians are not getting assistance, the deputy UN Human Rights chief said Friday. Nada Al-Nashif, the UN Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights, addressed a special session of the Human Rights Council called by the EU calling the humanitarian impact of the conflict “increasingly dramatic.” "The conflict in the Tigray region has, in recent months, extended to other areas of the country. It now involves an even wider range of actors, with serious impact on civilians," said Al-Nashif. “Acute food insecurity is now affecting more than 9.4 million people in northern Ethiopia, according to OCHA (Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs). Within Tigray, 5.2 million people – roughly 90 % of the population – is in need.” The request for the special session was supported by nations including Austria, Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Fiji, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Mexico, the Netherlands, Poland, the Marshall Islands, South Korea, Ukraine, and the UK. The special session call was also supported by 36 observer states, including Australia, Belgium, New Zealand, Norway, Paraguay, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, and the US, but it did not have the backing of the African Group. (Footage by Mohammed Abdu Abdulbaqi/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)