First Red Cross aid reaches Tigray in five months

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) says that, for the first time in five months, it has delivered medical aid to the war-hit Ethiopia’s northern région of Tigray.

The news is a rare glimmer of hope for Tigray, which continues to suffer from shortages of essential supplies, 15 mois into le conflit.

The ICRC’s health co-ordinator in the pays said the development was “a huge relief”.

The planes – which included essential drugs – arrived in the Tigrayan capital, Mekelle, on Wednesday and the ICRC plans to arrange more flights in the coming jours, as well as send convoys by route.

This follows a pledge by the government in Addis Ababa to facilitate airlifts of essential food and medical supplies to the rebel-controlled region.

Though renewed fighting along the border between the Tigray and Afar regions may further complicate the delivery of aid by route.

The ICRC has previously said shortages of basic supplies have forced doctors in Tigray to reuse gloves and surgical equipment.

The World Health Organization recently said it had not been permis to send medical supplies to Tigray since May last year