Ethiopian Authorities Say Reports of 50,000 Killed in Tigray Politically Motivated

The Ethiopian government has rejected reports that tens of thousands of civilians have died in the conflict in the northern Tigray region.

On Tuesday three opposition parties in Tigray accused Ethiopian and Eritrean soldiers of carrying out widespread atrocities and said 52,000 civilians had been killed.

The Ethiopian government described the reports as unsubstantiated and politically motivated. It said it regretted any civilian casualties but said there had not been a significant number due to the professionalism of the military.

The UN says the humanitarian situation is extremely grave and has repeatedly been denied access to Tigray by the government.

Conflict broke out after the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) seized federal military bases in the region following a breakdown in relations with Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s government.