ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia (KAAB TV) – Rural areas in northern Ethiopia, once ravaged by heavy fighting, remain contaminated with unexploded ordnance (UXO), posing a significant threat to civilians.
Ethiopia descended into a full-scale civil war in 2020 when government forces, backed by Eritrea, clashed with ethnic Tigrayan forces.
The conflict claimed an estimated 500,000 lives. A new conflict is now unfolding in the Amhara region, where government forces are battling ethnic Amhara fighters known as FANO.
Humanitarian groups, including the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), warn that the widespread presence of explosive remnants is a major risk to the civilian population.
The ICRC program offers mobility devices and rehabilitation services to people with disabilities, especially in conflict-affected regions.
Millions of people live and work in areas littered with unexploded ordnance, which hampers daily life, disrupts education, and limits access to essential resources like agricultural land and water.