This archive report was first published on 2 July 2021.
July 2, 2021
A bridge over the Tekeze River, a vital gateway for supplying food aid to many parts of Ethiopia's Tigray region, has been destroyed.
Mr. Roger Sandberg, a humanitarian aid worker from Medical Teams International, witnessed the destruction of the bridge three hours after it was blown on Thursday morning.
"Humanitarian access along with key supply routes are all being destroyed," he said in a social media post, adding that civilians were being cut off from family, livestock, and agriculture, and that aid workers were struggling to deliver basic items.
The International Rescue Committee (IRC) confirmed the destruction of the bridge, stating that delivery of food aid would be "even more severely hampered than before."
The World Food Programme is currently assessing the impact of the bridge's destruction and exploring alternative routes to bring in urgently needed food stocks.
Local aid agencies and politicians have expressed concerns that the destruction of the bridge will halt relief operations and put tens of thousands of people at risk of starvation.
Amhara regional authorities have warned Tigray forces against trying to enter the region to retake western Tigray areas, while the Ethiopian government has blamed the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF) for any disruptions to peace efforts.
