“Small-scale food theft in recent days has turned into large-scale warehouse looting in Kombolcha, allegedly by Tigreyan forces and some members of the local population,” Dujarric told reporters.
“Such harassment of humanitarian workers by the armed forces is unacceptable. It undermines the ability of the United Nations and all our humanitarian allies to provide assistance when they are most needed,” he said.
Government spokesman Legacy Tulu and military spokesman Colonel Garnett Adane did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Dujarric said looting and intimidation would lead to malnutrition and prolonged food insecurity in northern Ethiopia, where an estimated 9.4 million people in the Tigre, Amhara and Afar regions are in need of critical food aid.
Dujarric said three WFP trucks used for humanitarian work in Amhara were commanded by military personnel and used for their own purposes this week. He called on all sides of the conflict to respect and protect humanitarian relief workers.
“On the one hand we are encouraging, but on the other we also have a set of sticks,” Price said, adding that punitive measures could be used, such as the sanctions imposed on the Eritrean military last month. Is.
The year-long war between the federal government and the leadership of the northern region of the Tigre killed thousands of civilians and forced millions to flee their homes.