Ethiopia says UN probe into human rights abuses in Tigray could 'undermine' peace deal

Ethiopia's foreign minister warned on Wednesday (February 15th) that UN-backed investigations to shed light on human rights abuses in Tigray could "undermine

progress on the peace accord signed last year.

The war ravaged Tigray for two years.

A peace agreement was signed in November 2022 in Pretoria, South Africa, between the Ethiopian government and the rebels of this northern region of Ethiopia.

"Chimera", "disinformation"

In a report published in September 2022, independent UN experts had "

", committed by all parties.

The Ethiopian government, while rejecting the report, has embarked on a diplomatic offensive to prevent independent UN experts from continuing their work.

On Wednesday, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Demeke Mekonnen tweeted that the investigation "

.

At a press conference last week, Eritrean President Issaias Afeworki dismissed accusations of human rights violations by his army in Tigray, calling them "chimera"

"

".

Eritrean troops supported Ethiopian government forces in their offensive launched in November 2020 against those of the rebel authorities in the Tigray region.

Read alsoEthiopia: the government announces the sending of funds to Tigray

The United States and human rights organizations have accused them of committing atrocities during the conflict, including the massacre of hundreds of civilians.

Addis Ababa and Asmara have for months denied any Eritrean involvement in Tigray.

At the end of March 2021, Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed finally admitted their presence.

Their departure was announced several times, but never verified.

These troops have been accused of looting, massacres and rapes throughout the conflict, particularly in the city of Aksoum or the village of Dengolat.

Asmara did not participate in the discussions of the peace agreement, which notably provided for the disarmament of the Tigrayan forces, which was to be done "

", in reference to Eritrea, never mentioned in the document. .

The Tigrayan rebels began in January to surrender their heavy weapons.

The precise toll of this conflict punctuated by abuses, which took place largely behind closed doors, is unknown.

The African Union envoy for the Horn of Africa, Olusegun Obasanjo, said in mid-January that up to 600,000 people were believed to have been killed.

As access to Tigray is restricted, it is impossible to independently verify the situation on the ground.

Since the signing of the agreement, power has been restored to parts of Tigray, as well as air links.