Tigrai Eastern Zone security head Kidu Gebretsadkan , on a phone call with Tigrai television, revealed that the African Union Monitoring, Verification and Compliance Mission was denied entry into the towns of Zalambesa and Dewhan by Eritrean forces operating in the land of Tigrai. The team traveled there yesterday May 11,2023 to verify the Presence of Eritrean forces in the area and was denied passage by the very forces at a checkpoint in Sobeya and Engal in the vicinity of Agarelokoma, Irob
According to the security head, the monitoring and Verification team also met with members of UN-OCHA at the checkpoint, who were transporting aid for the people of Irob and were similarly denied passage to the area by Eritrean forces. The security head also added that Eritrean forces operating in the area are still committing heinous crimes including execution, rape, destruction of public properties, forceful disappearance, and kidnapping.
Public institutions including 16 schools and 4 health centers in the district of Gulomekeda and 5 schools and one health center in the Town of Zalambessa also remain out of service due to the hostile environment in the area.
By Saron Tsegay
