ADDIS ABABA, 24 August 2021, (TON): The United States Department of the Treasury sanctioned an Eritrean official it accused of engaging in serious human rights abuses committed during the ongoing conflict in Ethiopia’s Tigray region.

It said in a statement “the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) is blacklisting General Filipos Woldeyohannes, the chief of staff of the Eritrean Defense Forces (EDF).”

The Treasury accuses EDF troops of massacres, looting, rape, torture, executions and purposely shooting civilians in the street.

Director of the Office of Foreign Assets Control Andrea M Gacki said in a press release “today’s action demonstrates the United States’ commitment to imposing costs on those responsible for these despicable acts, which worsen a conflict that has led to tremendous suffering by Ethiopians.”

She added “we urge Eritrea to immediately and permanently withdraw its forces from Ethiopia, and urge the parties to the conflict to begin ceasefire negotiations and end human rights abuses.”

Brkti Gebrehiwot, a 20-year-old woman from Agulae, a town previously occupied by Eritrean troops, tries to feed her 20-month-old son Aamanuel Merhawi, who suffers from severe acute malnutrition at Wukro hospital in Wukro, Tigray region, Ethiopia [FIle: Giulia Paravicini/Reuters]

An estimated five million people are in need of humanitarian aid and more than 400,000 people are experiencing famine conditions due to the conflict in Ethiopia’s Tigray region, the Treasury said in the statement.