Commission Warns of Alarming Death Toll in Tigray’s Displacement Camps

— The Commission of Inquiry on Tigray Genocide (CITG) has sounded the alarm over worsening conditions in displacement camps across Tigray, reporting hundreds of deaths and widespread deprivation among internally displaced persons (IDPs).

In its August 2025 Special Assessment Report covering 92 IDP centers, the Commission documented 325 deaths at the Hitsats camp alone, attributing the fatalities to lack of food, medical care, and basic necessities. The report also recorded cases of physical injury, forced disappearance, and killings, underscoring what the Commission described as “grave human rights violations.”

Systematic Deprivation
The investigation found that food assistance was irregular and often suspended for months. When distributed, supplies were frequently spoiled or insufficient, forcing families to sell part of their rations to cover milling costs or buy essentials such as salt and pepper. Vulnerable groups — including pregnant women, unaccompanied children, and people with chronic illnesses — were often excluded from aid due to flaws in biometric registration and bureaucratic neglect.

Healthcare Collapse
Healthcare services across the camps were described as “practically non-existent.” The Commission reported acute shortages of essential medicines, maternal and child health care, and treatment for chronic illnesses. Deaths from starvation, untreated conditions such as hypertension and diabetes, and preventable diseases were widespread.

Rising Death Tolls
The report highlighted staggering death tolls in camps such as Hitsats and Endabaguna, where elderly individuals died from neglect and children succumbed to malnutrition. The Commission concluded that killings and systematic deprivation remain the most widespread forms of victimization among displaced Tigrayans.

Call for Urgent Action
The Commission urged immediate intervention to address what it called a dire humanitarian and human rights emergency. “Urgent attention and action are needed to protect displaced persons and host communities across Tigray,” the statement declared.