Mekelle፡Telaviv, Nairobi, Pretoria, London, (Tigray Herald)
Collapsed Homes and Refugee Deaths Highlight Ongoing Crisis for Tigrayans Despite Pretoria Agreement
Shire – North Western Tigray
In the aftermath of heavy rains and strong winds on May 15, 2025 (7 Ginbot 2017 E.C.), residents of one of the IDP center in Shire, located in the North Western Zone of Tigray, reported severe destruction to homes and private properties. The affected area lies behind the Wuq’ar-Duba Education Center, near the largest flood channel in the city.
According to local sources, entire houses collapsed, and compounds were destroyed, leaving families exposed and vulnerable. Survivors called for urgent emergency aid, but stressed that the only sustainable solution is permanent resettlement in their original homes. Many have been displaced for over five years, enduring deteriorating conditions without adequate shelter, food, or medical support.
“The people of North Western Tigray continue to live in trauma and illness, suffering in silence due to the incomplete implementation of the Pretoria Peace Agreement,” residents said. They warned that ignoring their plight risks another tragedy, and urged regional and international actors to prioritize their voices and wellbeing in policy and recovery agendas.
Meanwhile, the humanitarian crisis extends beyond Ethiopia’s borders.
Hundreds of Tigrayan Refugees Reported Dead in Sudan’s Camps Despite Peace Accord
A new report by Dimtsi Weyane reveals that more than 770 Tigrayan refugees have died in Sudanese refugee camps since the signing of the Pretoria Peace Agreement. The deaths are attributed to severe food shortages and lack of medical care, highlighting the ongoing vulnerability of those displaced by the ethnic cleansing campaign in Western Tigray.
The report outlines death tolls from three major camps:
Over 350 deaths in Um Rakuba
More than 400 deaths in Tunaydbah
At least 20 deaths in Al-Hashaba
An estimated 70,000 Tigrayan refugees displaced from their homes in Western Tigray remain trapped in these camps, with no clear path to safety or repatriation.
Humanitarian agencies have consistently raised alarms about the worsening crisis in Sudan, where the ongoing internal conflict between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) has made it even more difficult to deliver aid or protect refugees.
The collapse of homes in Tigray and rising death tolls in Sudanese camps serve as a stark reminder: the promises of the Pretoria Agreement remain unfulfilled for tens of thousands of Tigrayans. Without immediate action and accountability, the suffering will deepen and the chance for lasting peace will fade.
It is unacceptable that, years after a peace deal, the people of Tigray continue to die from neglect, displacement, and political inaction. The world must not remain indifferent.
We call on the international community, the African Union, the United Nations, and all signatories of the Pretoria Agreement to act now:
Launch an emergency airlift of food, medicine, and shelter materials.
Demand the immediate return of all displaced persons to their homes.
Hold accountable those obstructing aid or violating the terms of peace.
Enforce the full implementation of the Pretoria Agreement.
The silence is killing our people. This is a moral test for humanity.
