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Thousands of Eritrean Refugees in Tigray Desperately Short of Aid

Lisa Schlein

   GENEVA - The U.N. refugee agency reports thousands of Eritrean refugees
   trapped by fighting in Ethiopia's northern Tigray province are in
   desperate need of food and other essential supplies and services.

   The Ethiopian government has denied humanitarian agencies access to
   Eritrean refugee camps since it began its military offensive in early
   November. After repeated requests, the U.N. refugee agency reports the
   authorities finally granted the agency a one-time access to two refugee
   camps, Mai Aini and Adi Harush in northern Tigray.

   UNHCR spokesman Babar Balloch says aid workers have found conditions in
   the camps dire and the Eritreans in desperate need of humanitarian aid.

   "Refugees were cut off from any supplies and services for more than two
   months," Balloch said. "Wells were not functional without fuel for the
   pumps--leaving refugees to use water from a nearby creek for washing,
   cooking and drinking, resulting in diarrhea like illnesses."

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