We have received reports of three confirmed incidents of looting of humanitarian assistance from warehouses in communities in northern Amhara, much like what occurred during previous months in the Tigray Region by Eritrean and Ethiopian forces. USAID humanitarian aid is intended for people affected by the conflict, and we take seriously any allegation of USAID assistance being diverted from those for whom it was intended. Any interference in the delivery of humanitarian aid, or theft of that aid, is unacceptable and prevents critical assistance from reaching people in need.
However, the biggest challenge to providing aid to people in Ethiopia remains access. Only a small trickle of humanitarian aid has been allowed by the government of Ethiopia into Tigray over the last two months, and food warehouses in Tigray have been virtually empty for two weeks. Humanitarian assistance must be allowed to reach populations in need by the government of Ethiopia. All parties, including the TPLF, must cease the violence that only exacerbates the current humanitarian crisis.