December 2020 Wukro massacre
The December 2020 massacre in Wukro was a mass extrajudicial killing that took place in Wukro (Tigrinya: ውቕሮ) in the Tigray Region of Ethiopia during the Tigray War, on 30 December 2020.[1] Wukro is a mid-sized town, capital of woreda Kilte Awulaelo, Eastern zone of Tigray.
December 2020 Wukro massacre | |
---|---|
Part of Tigray War | |
Wukro Wukro | |
Location | Wukro, Tigray Region, Ethiopia |
Date | 30 December 2020 |
Target | Tigrayans |
Attack type | |
Deaths | 12 civilians |
Perpetrators | Ethiopian National Defence Force Eritrean Defence Forces |
Massacre
The Ethiopian National Defense Force (ENDF) and Eritrean Defence Forces killed 12 civilians in Wukro (Eastern Tigray) on 30 December 2020.[1], as part of a series of killings in this martyr town.[2] Typical massacres committed by Ethiopian and Eritrean soldiers in the Tigray war are (1) revenge when they lose a battle; (2) to terrorise and extract information about whereabouts of TPLF leaders; (3) murder of suspected family members of TDF fighters and (4) terrorising the Tigray society as a whole such as in case of mass killings in churches.[3]
Perpetrators
Relatives and neighbours interpreted the identity of the perpetrators as Ethiopian and Eritrean soldiers.[4]
Victims
The “Tigray: Atlas of the humanitarian situation” mentions a total of 12 victims.[1] Many victims have been identified, but, as Wukro is a martyr town, affected by every phase of the Tigray war,[2] the specific event in which victims died is not known yet.[4] The EHRC–OHCHR Tigray investigation reported the massacres in this locality, without going into further detail.[5]
Reactions
The series of massacres in Wukro received international attention in media articles.[2] The “Tigray: Atlas of the humanitarian situation”,[1] that documented this massacre received international media attention, particularly with regard its Annex A, that lists the massacres.[3][6][7][8]
See also
References
- Annys, S., Vanden Bempt, T., Negash, E., De Sloover, L., Nyssen, J., 2021. Tigray: Atlas of the humanitarian situation
- France24, 16 March 2020: 'The fighting continues': A Tigray town reels from drawn-out war
- The World radio (2 April 2021): Counting the victims in Tigray
- TGHAT, A compilation of the verified list of civilian victims from different sources
- Tibebu, Israel (2021-11-03). "Report of the EHRC/OHCHR Joint Investigation into Alleged Violations of International Human Rights, Humanitarian and Refugee Law Committed by all Parties to the Conflict in the Tigray Region of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia" (PDF). EHRC, OHCHR. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2021-11-03. Retrieved 2021-11-20.
- EuroNews, 2 April 2021 – See film embedded in the news item: G7 'seriously concerned' about human rights violations in Ethiopia's Tigray region
- CBC, 2 April 2021: As It Happens: The Friday Edition (from 28:00 to 35:30) Tigray, Ethiopia Massacre
- The Guardian, 2 April 2021: Ethiopia: 1,900 people killed in massacres in Tigray identified