Red Cross In Confidential Prisoner Exchange Talks With Parties In Conflict

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) says it is holding confidential talks with parties involved in the ongoing conflict in the Amhara region, discussing potential prisoner exchanges and other humanitarian concerns.

Amid escalating tensions and violence, the discussion is aiming at facilitating the safe treatment and return of individuals taken hostage or detained, according to ICRC Communications Coordinator Robin Waduo.

However, he refrained from providing details, characterizing the topic as sensitive and underlining the organization’s role as a neutral intermediary rather than a direct negotiator.

“We are engaging with all parties to ensure that discussions about detainees are heard, but these conversations remain confidential,” Waduo emphasized. “Our goal is to maintain the trust of all involved parties to help alleviate the humanitarian consequences of the conflict.”

Waduo indicated that the ICRC remains fully operational across conflict zones, focusing on the well-being of detainees and the facilitation of humanitarian assistance.

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The Thirds Geneva Convention mandates humane treatment for all detainees and prohibits actions like torture, degrading treatment, and executions against prisoners of war.

The ICRC coordinated prisoner exchanges during the Ethiopia-Eritrea war and the Northern Ethiopia war, the ICRC coordinated prisoner exchanges; however, as Waduo noted, the current situation in Amhara presents new complexities.

“This is a different Ethiopia, with unique challenges, requiring its own approaches,” he said.

The conflict has greatly affected civilians, especially in Amhara, where humanitarian agencies have been saying access is increasingly restricted due to the volatile security situation.

Recent reports of injuries, detentions, and limited medical services have spiked, leaving communities in desperate need of support. However, according to recent media reports, the United Nations is considering suspending relief operations, including food aid deliveries, in the Amhara region following what it calls a deadly attack on humanitarian workers.

The Ethiopian Red Cross Society (ERCS) recently indicated significant risks, with aid workers injured, kidnapped, and, in some cases, tragically killed. Facilities like pharmacies and ambulances have been targeted, further straining the organization’s capacity to provide aid.

Despite these challenges, Waduo stated that neither the Ethiopian Red Cross nor the ICRC intends to withdraw from Amhara.

“Our operations continue, and there are no plans for suspension,” he assured.

Waduo refuted reports that the UN might suspend relief efforts in the region, reiterating the ICRC’s resilience and dedication to its mission.

According to a World Food Programme (WFP) report published this week, humanitarian access in the north remains uncertain as armed conflict between government forces and non-state actors escalates, with an increase in the use of drones and fighter jets.

“Many families who fled the war in Tigray two years ago to neighboring Amhara are now returning home and leaving an entirely different war behind them,” it reads.

However, the WFP publication says to reach these people, it has to drive food items along perilous routes through conflict-affected Amhara regions into Tigray.

WFP also mentioned that ongoing security threats, including armed robberies, kidnappings, illegal checkpoints, truck hijackings, and looting of food and nutrition commodities from trucks, severely hamper its distribution efforts in the Amhara region.