DW Amharic – New war has worsened conditions for displaced persons taking refuge in North and South Wollo
Disclaimer: This is an English translation of an Amharic article taken from DW Amharic and is intended solely for information purposes.
DW Amharic – New war has worsened conditions for displaced persons taking refuge in North and South Wollo
Esayas Gelaw
September 29, 2026
Over the past six years internally displaced persons displaced from various parts of Ethiopia and the five districts of Raya taking refuge in shelters and outdoors across North and South Wollo and in Sekota, are now facing severe hunger due to the latest escalation in war.
Internally displaced persons in North and South Wollo and in Sekota City have been exposed to severe hunger and suffrage due to current war conditions. The internally displaced persons were taking refuge inside and outside shelters however newly intensified war and associated complications have worsened their living circumstances. Following the escalation of war banking, shops and services have been suspended. Roads have also been closed. Charity organizations have vacated the area. The cumulative developments have exposed the displaced persons to severe hunger.
Over the past six years internally displaced persons displaced from various parts of Ethiopia and the five districts of Raya taking refuge in shelters and outdoors across North and South Wollo and in Sekota, are now facing severe hunger due to the latest escalation in war. Ato Abraham Tefera who was displaced from Alamata City to Sekota City said the current war situation has caused shops and banks to close, making it difficult to get daily meals.
“The displaced persons are facing very difficult circumstances. This is because shops have been closed, it was only since yesterday they started to reopen a little. It is also not possible to withdraw cash to purchase food because banking services are unavailable. It is as I told you, when it comes to support there hasn’t been regular relief in this area. So, there isn’t anyone to reassure displaced persons, the people are in distress. Some are suffering from hunger, it can be said many are facing starvation. During fighting on Friday and Sunday artillery fire, a mortar, left one displaced person killed.”
More than 36,000 people have been displaced from Alamata City and among them some have awaited resumption of transportation services to return to their homes, but they say they are afraid of what could await them.
“It has been over four months and ten days since war broke out. There is no relief especially for women, are there no women and children? They used to be supported by charities, there used to be nutrition food provided but now there is none, it has now stopped all together. As I’ve told you before the women have now been forced into improper things, many things. Now when they go to their homes what do they eat? You can see the farmland it has been destroyed now there is drought, it is very severe. There is no relief, there is no one to help us that is.”
Ato Ahmed Sayed who has stayed at the Jara shelter site for years says on his end renewed war broke out before the existing issue was resolved which has been cause for charity organizations to leave.
“Prior to this the situation had been difficult, but now the current war added on top has made things more severe, displaced persons are facing severe circumstances. Currently there is no one to help us, there is currently no relief reaching us either. There are no organizations, they have left, prior to this there were some organizations which would help us, but they have now left too because of the current war.”
An internally displaced persons representative Ato Abate Belay who now lives integrated with the community in Tenta Town in South Wollo Zone says they have been forgotten and have not received any support for over a year, which was relayed to regional and zonal officials as an appeal however they responded saying road closures and the security situation have been problems.
“The region said they would only send what had been allocated to them by federal, when we went to the district (woreda) with our appeal they said they had nothing in hand, that nothing had been sent, they told us there is nothing for us. This was the answer we received when we went to Prosperity, the administration and the tax office. We had prepared people even now to go to the zone and region; however they feared the journey. We had hoped they would leave yesterday but they did not, it was related to fear associated with road closures and the situation, then we took the children out of fear they would end up somewhere they shouldn’t be.”
Similarly, internally displaced persons residing at the Hayk Mekane Eyesus shelter site have been unable to work due to the war, and they expressed fears their situation was now one of life or death.
“War in the area has forced people to stop all work activities in the area. We can’t work to live, the roads are unusable, and just when everything came to a standstill so did relief, now our only hope is that we are still alive, but now we fear for the future.”
Efforts to obtain a response regarding lack of humanitarian relief delivery from the Amhara Region Disaster Risk and Operations Management Commission Commissioner Deacon Tesfaw Bantabil by phone and messaging were unsuccessful as he was unwilling to respond.
Esayas Gelaw
Negash Mehamed
Azeb Tadesse
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