UNICEF urges protection of children as northern Ethiopia fighting intensifies
UNICEF’s regional director appealed on 1 October 2026 for protection of children and civilian services in northern Ethiopia, citing reports of casualties and damage.
In short
- UNICEF’s regional director appealed on 1 October 2026 for protection of children and civilian services in northern Ethiopia, citing reports of casualties and damage.
UNICEF has urged parties fighting in northern Ethiopia to protect children and allow humanitarian assistance to reach communities, warning that renewed violence threatens services rebuilt after earlier conflict.
In a statement issued in Nairobi on 1 October 2026, Etleva Kadilli, the agency’s regional director for Eastern and Southern Africa, said UNICEF was aware of reports that children had been killed or injured and that homes and public facilities had been damaged.
The statement provided no casualty total or independently verified account of a specific attack. Its reference to reported harm should not be read as confirmation of individual incidents.
Kadilli called for restraint, protection of civilian infrastructure and humanitarian access. She said communities had worked to restore education, healthcare and water supplies, and warned against putting those gains at risk.
The appeal focuses on children’s safety and continued access to essential services. It does not announce a ceasefire or an agreement granting aid agencies access.
