Milakua massacre

The Milakua massacre was a mass extrajudicial killing that took place in Milakua (Tigrinya: ምላዃ), 11 km west of Aksum in the Tigray Region of Ethiopia during the Tigray War, on 29 January 2021.[1][2] Milakua is a village that belongs to tabiya Kewanit, woreda Tahtay Maychew, Maekelay Zone of Tigray.

Milakua massacre
Part of Tigray War
Milakua
Milakua
Location of Milakua in Ethiopia
LocationMilakua (Tigrinya: ምላዃ), Tigray Region, Ethiopia
Date29 January 2021
TargetTigrayan betrothal ceremony
Attack type
Deaths9 civilians
Perpetrators Eritrean Defence Forces

Massacre

The Eritrean Defence Forces (EDF) killed nine civilians in Milakua (Central Tigray) on 29 January 2021.[1] The massacre took place on a traditional betrothal day, and victims included the bridegroom, his three best men, the bride's father, brother and uncle, and two other male guests of the ceremony, while the women were screaming.[2][3]

Typical massacres committed by Ethiopian and Eritrean soldiers in the Tigray war are (1) revenge when they lose a battle; (2) to terrorise and extract information about whereabouts of TPLF leaders; (3) murder of suspected family members of TDF fighters and (4) terrorising the Tigray society as a whole such as in case of mass killings in churches.[4]

Perpetrators

Relatives and witnesses interpreted the identity of the perpetrators as Eritrean soldiers.[3]

Victims

The “Tigray: Atlas of the humanitarian situation” mentions nine victims,[1] all of which have been identified.[3]

Reactions

After months of denial by the Ethiopian authorities that massacres occurred during the Tigray War, a joint investigation by OHCHR and the Ethiopian Human Rights Commission was announced in March 2021. [5] While the Ethiopian government promised that Eritrean troops will be pulled out from Tigray, the Eritrean government denies any participation in warfare in Tigray, let alone in massacres.[6]

References
  1. Annys, S., Vanden Bempt, T., Negash, E., De Sloover, L., Ghekiere, R., Haegeman, K., Temmerman, D., Nyssen, J., 2021. Tigray: Atlas of the humanitarian situation, version 2.1. Ghent (Belgium): Ghent University, Department of Geography Archived 2021-10-13 at archive.today
  2. Associated Press, 15 November 2021: 'You can't even cry loudly': Counting Ethiopia's war dead
  3. TGHAT, A compilation of the verified list of civilian victims from different sources
  4. The World radio (2 April 2021): Counting the victims in Tigray
  5. France24, 18 March 2021: UN rights chief agrees to joint Tigray probe Archived 2021-04-22 at the Wayback Machine
  6. DW, 19 March 2021: Fact check: Are other nations involved in the war in Tigray?
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