Ethiopian security forces have committed widespread attacks against medical professionals, patients, and health facilities in the northwestern Amhara region, according to a new Human Rights Watch report. The report, titled “’If the Soldier Dies, It’s On You’: Attacks on Medical Care in Ethiopia’s Amhara Conflict,” details how, since August 2023, Ethiopian federal forces and a government-affiliated militia have targeted medical workers and facilities in at least 13 towns amidst fighting between federal troops and the Amhara militia, Fano.

Human Rights Watch found that Ethiopian forces disrupted hospital operations, beat and intimidated medical professionals, and attacked ambulances. Soldiers also blocked humanitarian aid and denied medical care to the Amhara population. The conflict has caused severe shortages of essential medicines and hampered the efforts of humanitarian aid agencies.

The report urges Ethiopia’s international partners, including the African Union and the European Union, to press for increased scrutiny of the human rights situation in Ethiopia.
Read more about the report: https://www.hrw.org/news/2024/07/03/ethiopia-army-attacks-health-care-amhara-conflict