Dengelat massacre

The Dengelat massacre (also called Maryam Dengelat massacre) was a mass extrajudicial killing that took place in Dengelat (Tigrinya: ደንገላት) in the Tigray Region of Ethiopia during the Tigray War, on 30 November 2020.[1] Dengelat is a village that belongs to tabiya Beleso, woreda Sa’isi’e, Eastern zone of Tigray.

Dengelat massacre
Maryam Dengelat massacre
Part of Tigray War
Dengelat is located in Tigray Region
Dengelat
Dengelat
Dengelat is located in Ethiopia
Dengelat
Dengelat
Location of Dengelat in Tigray (Ethiopia)
LocationDengelat (Tigrinya: ደንገላት), Tigray Region, Ethiopia
Date30 November 2020
TargetTigrayans
Attack type
Deaths80-150 civilians
PerpetratorsEritrea Eritrean Defence Forces

Massacre
A peaceful rural scene near Dengelat, some years before the massacre

The Eritrean Defence Forces (EDF) killed hundred(s) of civilians in Dengelat (Eastern Tigray) on 30 November 2020;[1] probably between 80 and 150 civilians, in the compound of Maryam Dengelat church 5 km south-west of Idaga Hamus, according to Nyssen.[2] That day, there were many villagers in and around the church, who had been joined by religious pilgrims participating in the annual Orthodox ceremonies of Tsion Maryam. Eritrean soldiers opened fire on the church while hundreds of congregants were celebrating mass. People fled on foot; the troops followed, spraying the mountainside with bullets. Europe External Programme with Africa (EEPA) reported the number of executions by the EDF at the Maryam Dengelat church as 150, with an unknown date. [3]

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;[4] and (4) terrorising the Tigray society as a whole such as in case of mass killings in churches.[5] The Maryam Dengelat massacre includes all these characteristics.[6]

Perpetrators

Witnesses interpreted the identity of the perpetrators as Eritrean soldiers, by recognising marks on their cheeks, and recognising the typical Eritrean form of the Tigrinya language.[6]

Victims

Among the dead were priests, old men, women, entire families and a group of more than 20 Sunday school children, some as young as 14, according to eyewitnesses, parents and their teacher.[6] The “Tigray: Atlas of the humanitarian situation” mentions approximately 100 victims.[1] Local people claim that the number is way higher. Many victims are anonymous, as they were pilgrims coming from far away. 62 victims have been identified.[7] The EHRC–OHCHR Tigray investigation reported the massacre in this locality, without going into further detail.[8]

Reactions

Four months later, after visiting the church and the village, CNN World brought a vivid description of the massacre.[6]

References
  1. Annys, S., Vanden Bempt, T., Negash, E., De Sloover, L., Nyssen, J., 2021. Tigray: Atlas of the humanitarian situation Archived 2021-09-13 at the Wayback Machine
  2. Nyssen, Jan (2021). "The situation in Tigray at the beginning of 2021". ResearchGate. Archived from the original on 2021-01-14. Retrieved 2021-01-14.
  3. "Situation Report EEPA HORN No. 31 – 20 December" (PDF). Europe External Programme with Africa. 2020-12-20. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2021-01-12. Retrieved 2021-01-14.
  4. Tigray Defence Forces, a military structure that came into existence during the Tigray War, consisting of a merger of Special Forces of the Tigray Regional Government, defected soldiers of the Ethiopian National Defense Force, local militia, members of Tigrayan political parties (TPLF, National Congress of Great Tigray, Salsay Weyane Tigray, Tigray Independence Party, ...) and numerous youth who fled to the mountains.
  5. The World radio (2 April 2021): Counting the victims in Tigray Archived 2021-04-03 at the Wayback Machine
  6. CNN World, 22 March 2021: Massacre in the mountains - They thought they'd be safe at a church. Then the soldiers arrived Archived 2021-07-08 at the Wayback Machine
  7. TGHAT, A compilation of the verified list of civilian victims from different sources Archived 2021-07-11 at the Wayback Machine
  8. 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.

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