The secretary-general of the United Nations, Antonio Guterres has called for humanitarian corridors to be opened in Ethiopia’s Tigray region to assist civilians caught in the fighting.

Africa News reports that Guterres had noted that Ethiopian authorities have rejected all attempts at mediation. The UN chief warned of a “dramatic humanitarian impact” in Ethiopia as well as in neighboring Sudan, where 200 000 people are expected to flee to. Sudan already hosts a million refugees from African countries.

Aid agencies have no access to the conflict zone. They fear that thousands of civilians may have been killed since fighting erupted early in November. At least 33 000 refugees have already crossed Ethiopia’s border into Sudan.

Meanwhile, according to Africa News, the African Union on Friday named Joaquim Chissano, former president of Mozambique; Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, former president of Liberia; and Kgalema Motlanthe, former president of South Africa, as its envoys to Ethiopia. The three former heads of state are travel to Addis Ababa to try to de-escalate the conflict situation in Tigray state.

Umm Muhammed Umar