Ethiopian forces “executed” three workers of Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) on a humanitarian mission to the war-torn northern Tigray region four years ago, says a senior MSF official.
MSF’s Raquel Ayora provided comments alongside the release of findings on the “intentional and targeted” killing of the three — a Spanish national and two Ethiopians — during the peak of Tigray’s conflict.
“They were executed,” said Ayora, MSF Spain’s general director. “They were facing their attackers and were shot at very close range… several times.”
BBC has sought a response to this allegation from the Ethiopian government.
MSF is releasing the findings after the Ethiopian government failed to provide a “credible account” of the deaths despite 20 meetings over the past four years.
Thirty-five-year-old Spaniard María Hernández Matas and her Ethiopian colleagues, 32-year-old Yohanes Halefom Reda and 31-year-old Tedros Gebremariam, were killed on 24 June 2021 while traveling in central Tigray to assess medical needs.
“They were very professional and passionate,” Ayora remarked. “MSF vests and logos were clearly visible on their vehicles, which also bore the MSF flag. They knew they were killing humanitarian aid workers.”
The Tigray conflict, which began in 2020, ended two years later after a peace deal facilitated by the African Union. The conflict resulted in about 600,000 deaths, as researchers noted that fighting, starvation, and lack of healthcare were the main causes.
The killings occurred when the conflict intensified, making Ethiopian and Eritrean troops increasingly hostile to aid workers in the region.
Ms. Matas had worked in Tigray before the war and was beloved by locals. Ms. Ayora said her death was particularly tragic for her only child’s mother.
Mr. Tedros was killed shortly after his wife gave birth to a baby daughter, who was named Maria after her father’s Spanish colleague.
The bodies of Ms. Matas and Mr. Yohannes were found between 100m and 400m from the wreckage of their vehicle. In line with MSF travel policy, the driver’s body was found near the vehicle.
The faculty-ridden vehicle was shot at multiple times and burned on the primary road from the town of Abi Adi to Yech’illa. Ms. Ayora said MSF used satellite images, witness testimonies, and publicly available data in its investigation, pinpointing Ethiopian troops at the killing location.
During the investigation, it was reported that a military officer had informed the local commander of the approaching white vehicle and ordered to shoot. Shortly after, seeing the car approach, the commander ordered his soldiers to catch and eliminate the occupants. Ethiopian Justice Ministry officials verbally communicated to MSF that preliminary inquiries indicated government troops were not at the killing scene. They refused to provide this information in writing, though.
