ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia (AP) — At least 19 people died in a boat accident in Ethiopia’s war-torn region of Amhara, according to the Ethiopian Press Agency. Efforts are underway to retrieve the victims’ bodies, with only two recovered so far, according to the Ethiopian Press Agency. The Tekeze is a gateway for illegal migrants and civilians escaping conflict in Amhara and the neighboring region of Tigray. Boats regularly capsize on the river as smugglers transport illegal migrants to the Gulf of Aden and onwards to Middle East and Europe. An ongoing conflict in Amhara, pitting Ethiopian federal forces against an Amhara nationalist group known as FANO, has escalated the displacement of civilians.

Source: Ethiopian News July 29, 2024 11:04 UTC