On Tuesday, Ethiopia and Eritrea disputed a finding by the U.S. State Department that all parties in the recently ended conflict in Ethiopia’s northern Tigray area, including their military, had committed war crimes.
According to U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, war crimes were committed during the two-year conflict by members of the Ethiopian National Defense Force (ENDF), its allies from the Eritrean army and Amhara regional forces, as well as rival forces loyal to the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF).
The charges were described as “inflammatory” and “untimely” by Ethiopia’s foreign affairs ministry, while they were described as “unsubstantiated and slanderous” by Eritrea’s.
Less than a week had passed since Blinken’s trip to Ethiopia, where he met with TPLF representatives and government officials. He commended the implementation of the November truce but warned that there was still work to be done.
“Such apportioning of blame is unwarranted and undercuts support of the U.S. for an inclusive peace process in Ethiopia,” the Ethiopian foreign affairs ministry said in a statement.
It said that the U.S. decision was “selective” since it absolved Tigrayan forces of charges of rape and sexual assault.
Yet, the statement emphasized Ethiopia’s optimism that its “strategic partnership” with the US would be repaired, echoing the hopes voiced by both parties during Blinken’s visit to mend strained ties brought on by the war.
Tens of thousands of people died as a result of the violence, which had its roots in a struggle for dominance between the leaders of Tigray and the federal government, as well as millions of people being displaced.