US war crimes claims rejected

NAIROBI: Ethiopia yesterday rejected a determination by the US State Department that its army, along with all sides in the recently concluded conflict in the northern Tigray region, had committed war crimes, calling the charge “inflammatory” and “untimely”.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said that members of the Ethiopian National Defense Force, its allies from the Eritrean army and Amhara regional forces, and opposing forces loyal to the Tigray People’s Liberation Front, committed war crimes during the conflict.

The Ethiopian foreign affairs ministry said the US claim was “selective” since it exonerated Tigrayan forces from accusations of rape and sexual violence. |