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Ethiopia warns of “grave consequences” over expulsions

The Ethiopian government has warned that it will take action over “forced and dangerous expulsions” of Ethiopian citizens in Eritrea. Ethiopia “wishes to make it clear that the Eritrean regime should consider itself warned that continuing to pursue its cruel policies...will have grave consequences for which the Eritrean authorities will be held responsible”, a statement posted on the Ethiopian government website said.

It said that about 10,000 Ethiopians had returned to Ethiopia through nine operations, between 20 June and 4 August, with involvement by the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), but that the Eritrean government had continued to expel returnees through “dangerous routes”.
In the past week, the statement claimed, Eritrea had expelled 6,428 people “under dangerous and inhuman conditions” via the Mereb River and the Tsorena front line.

Both countries have carried out mass expulsions of each other’s citizens, drawing condemnation from international human rights organisations. A ceasefire agreement was signed on 18 June, after a two year conflict.


This article was produced by IRIN News while it was part of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. Please send queries on copyright or liability to the UN. For more information: https://shop.un.org/rights-permissions

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