The Guardian view on the war in Ethiopia: Tigray’s civilians need protection | Editorial

Four months of fighting have seen massacres, sexual violence and attacks on medical facilities and refugee camps. The culture of impunity must end

After months of denials, Ethiopia's prime minister Abiy Ahmed has finally admitted what everyone knew about the conflict in the Tigray region: Eritrean troops are present alongside the federal military, and atrocities have been reported.

War is a nasty thing", he added - a remark that barely scratched the surface of the terrible human toll. Thousands have died since fighting began in November, many of them civilians. This week, the heads of nine UN agencies and other officials demanded a halt to attacks against non-combatants, including rape and other sexual violence. Medecins Sans Frontieres reported that its staff had witnessed at least four men being dragged from buses and shot dead this week. Almost 70% of medical facilities in the region have been deliberately looted, vandalised or destroyed, with only 13% functioning normally, while schools have been occupied by fighters. Even refugee camps have been targeted.