Two new videos have surfaced today showing civilians being executed near #MahbereDego, in the #Tigray region in #Ethiopia.
I won't link the videos due to their graphic nature, but here is a short thread with what they tell us.
I won't link the videos due to their graphic nature, but here is a short thread with what they tell us.
The new videos appear to be linked to the same massacre that we (@BBCAfrica + @Newsy), and @cnni and @amnesty geolocated and verified independently.
That massacre likely occurred in January of this year.
bellingcat.com/news/2021/04/0…
That massacre likely occurred in January of this year.
bellingcat.com/news/2021/04/0…
The original five videos we geolocated were filmed in two separate locations, approximately one kilometer away from each other.
Based on our investigation, we believe that they show the same group of individuals being rounded (Video 5) up and then later executed (Videos 1-4).
Based on our investigation, we believe that they show the same group of individuals being rounded (Video 5) up and then later executed (Videos 1-4).
We came to this conclusion based on a few facts, including the observation that at least one of the victims appears in videos from both sites: an individual wearing a red shirt and white shawl.
This person can be seen in Video 5 and Video 3, each taken at a different site:
This person can be seen in Video 5 and Video 3, each taken at a different site:
In one of the two new videos, we see a person wearing the same clothing as a man seen in Video 5. This person is wearing a red/brown checkered shirt over a black/white striped shirt.
We see him in Video 5, and after he's executed in one of new videos:
We see him in Video 5, and after he's executed in one of new videos:
This is yet more evidence that individuals in the custody of Ethiopian army soldiers were executed and thrown off a cliff near #MahbereDego.
According to testimony gathered by our colleagues at @BBCAfrica, this massacre occurred in January of this year.
According to testimony gathered by our colleagues at @BBCAfrica, this massacre occurred in January of this year.
The @EthioEmbassyUK responded to the investigation on April 3 by saying that it condemned "in the strongest terms" any human rights violations against "innocent civilians".
That statement is here: ethioembassy.org.uk/statement-on-a…
That statement is here: ethioembassy.org.uk/statement-on-a…
That stance was contradicted by ENDF Major General Tessema, who called the #MahbereDego massacre investigation a fabrication without providing any evidence.
A thread breaking down his claims from @Yaolri:
A thread breaking down his claims from @Yaolri:
https://twitter.com/Yaolri/status/1380514595949977611
The emergence of these two new videos comes in the context of the continued conflict in Tigray and allegations of widespread human rights violations in the region.
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