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Washington, D.C.- House Foreign Affairs Committee Lead Republican Michael McCaul has issued the following statement following continued fighting in Ethiopia. Since the conflict began in November 2020, thousands of innocent civilians have been killed and millions more displaced from their homes and in dire need of life-saving humanitarian aid. Ethiopia is becoming one of the most dangerous countries in the world for humanitarian workers, and continued hostilities threatens to destabilize the broader region.

“I am deeply concerned by the continued hostilities in Ethiopia, including the expansion of fighting by the TPLF into neighboring states, the large redeployment of Eritrean forces into Tigray, and fresh reports of mass detentions, torture and extrajudicial killings, and massacres of civilians, including in the Amhara region and Western Tigray. I am also extremely troubled by the Government of Ethiopia’s ongoing restrictions that are hampering the delivery of life-saving aid to millions in Tigray, including hundreds of thousands on the brink of starvation, and all reports of looting and aid diversion.

“Again, I strongly condemn any continuation of violence and implore all parties to commit to a ceasefire, peace talks, and national dialogue. There is no military solution and millions of innocent civilians are the victims of this conflict. At least 23 aid workers have been killed in Tigray since the conflict began. They were risking their own lives to help others, and I condemn the violence and dangerous allegations being made against humanitarians. The Biden Administration has repeatedly threatened further targeted sanctions against the perpetrators of atrocities in northern Ethiopia, and I urge the administration to utilize these authorities without delay.”

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