Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) has disclosed that Ethiopian government forces "executed" three of its aid workers while they were performing a humanitarian mission in Tigray, a region greatly affected by conflict. Raquel Ayora, the charity's general director for Spain, made these revelations during an interview, indicating that the aid workers—a Spanish national and two Ethiopians—were killed in a targeted attack at close range four years ago. This announcement came alongside MSF’s report detailing what it coined as the "intentional and targeted" killings following several years of discussion with the Ethiopian government that yielded no credible answers regarding the deaths.
The victims, 35-year-old María Hernández Matas from Spain and Ethiopian colleagues 32-year-old Yohannes Halefom Reda and 31-year-old Tedros Gebremariam, lost their lives on June 24, 2021, while assessing medical needs in central Tigray. Eyewitness accounts noted that the aid workers were clearly identifiable in their MSF uniforms, with their vehicle adorned with the charity’s flag—actions that suggest the Ethiopian troops were aware they were targeting humanitarian personnel.
The Tigray conflict erupted in late 2020 amid tensions between regional and federal authorities, exacerbated by involvement from neighboring Eritrea. After two years, a peace agreement brokered by the African Union put an end to the fighting. Estimates indicate that around 600,000 individuals perished due to battles, starvation, and insufficient healthcare amidst the chaos.
MSF's findings arrive at a time when hostilities towards humanitarian workers had grown increasingly severe in Tigray. The charity's report revealed that the bodies of the deceased were found near the burned wreckage of their vehicle, which had been shot multiple times. The investigation indicated that local military forces were directly involved, prompting MSF to challenge the government’s initial denial of any troop presence at the scene.
Additionally, Ms. Ayora shared the emotional impact of the tragedy on the families of the victims, highlighting the grief of Matas' mother, who lost her only child, and the newly widowed mother who named her child after the deceased aid worker.
The MSF report utilized satellite imagery, witness statements, and publicly available military movement data to adeptly pinpoint the involvement of Ethiopian government troops. The organization, while still seeking resolution about the lack of accountability for deadly attacks on humanitarian workers, hopes to bring better awareness to the dangers individuals face in delivering crucial aid amidst conflicts worldwide.
