Renewed Conflict and the Humanitarian Emergency in Ethiopia

Distr.: General | February 26, 2026 Sixty-first session | Agenda item 12

I. Introduction

1. This report focuses on the precarious security situation across Ethiopia, where the 2022 Pretoria Agreement is under severe strain. By February 2026, armed hostilities have escalated between federal forces and the Fano militia in Amhara, while clashes persist in parts of Oromia and along the Tigray-Amhara border.

2. The Task Force is gravely concerned by reports of drone strikes hitting residential areas and the widespread use of sexual violence as a tool of war in newly contested territories.

II. Findings on Conflict and Atrocities

3. Aerial Warfare in Amhara: Since January 2026, intensified drone strikes in East Gojjam and North Shewa have resulted in dozens of civilian casualties, including children. These strikes often target market days and residential homes, violating the principle of distinction under IHL.

4. Systematic Sexual Violence: Survivors in the border regions between Tigray and Amhara report a recurrence of mass rape and forced displacement. These acts are used strategically to "cleanse" disputed territories of specific ethnic groups.

5. Humanitarian Blockades: Access for aid agencies remains "deeply restricted" in Amhara. Kidnappings of aid workers for ransom and the destruction of medical supplies have left over 9 million children out of school and without basic nutritional support.

6. Repression of Health Workers: The federal government has arbitrarily detained healthcare workers protesting for better pay, further crippling the medical response to the ongoing conflict.

III. Legal Analysis: The Stalled Justice Process

7. The national "Transitional Justice" process has effectively stalled. Domestic courts have failed to prosecute any high-ranking officials for the 2020–2022 war crimes, creating a culture of total impunity that is fueling the current round of violence.

8. The 2026 proposed amendments to the civil society law would grant the government sweeping powers to dissolve remaining rights groups, violating the constitutional right to freedom of association.

IV. Legal Recommendations

• Revival of International Scrutiny: The UN Human Rights Council should re-establish an international investigative mechanism, as national efforts have failed to meet the standards of independence and impartiality.

• Protection of "Safe Havens" for Displaced Persons: Legally mandate the protection of IDP camps in Western Tigray, where displaced populations face renewed threats of forced transfer by ethnic militias.

• Sanctions on Command Responsibility: The international community should impose targeted sanctions on military commanders who oversee the use of drone strikes against civilian objects.

• Conditionality of Economic Aid: All non-humanitarian financial support should be legally tied to the implementation of an inclusive, transparent, and internationally monitored transitional justice framework.