The Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) has accused Ethiopia’s federal government of pursuing what it described as a campaign of genocide against the people of Tigray, alleging that the government is destroying livelihoods, looting property, and worsening food insecurity across the region.
In a statement, the TPLF alleged that the federal government was using heavy weapons, drones, and aircraft against civilians while also targeting the region’s economic resources and livestock. It further claimed that the government had authorized its forces to seize food and livestock from residents to sustain themselves.
The party also accused the government and its affiliated armed groups of orchestrating nighttime raids and killings, as well as carrying out daytime looting under the pretext of searches. It alleged that crops and animal fodder were being burned, further threatening food supplies and livestock survival amid drought conditions.
The TPLF said drought-related hardship, compounded by what it described as years of deliberate economic destruction, had left communities increasingly vulnerable to hunger and displacement. It specifically cited reports of severe food insecurity in Tselemti and other areas, claiming that residents were being forced to leave their homes in search of assistance.
The statement also accused groups aligned with the federal government of looting homes, seizing livestock, and transferring public and government-owned assets outside Tigray under the justification of moving them to safer locations.
It further alleged that these groups were preparing to collect billions of birr from Tigray’s population under government instructions, describing the move as an additional financial burden on already struggling residents.
The TPLF called on the people of Tigray to strengthen their resistance and remain united, urging them to stand alongside Tigrayan forces. It warned that the alleged actions posed a serious threat to the region’s future and called for collective efforts to protect what it described as the population’s survival.
The allegations could not be independently verified, and the statement did not provide supporting evidence for several of its claims. The Ethiopian federal government’s response was not included in the statement.
