United Nations must protect Tigrayan peace keepers who have completed service

Scores of Tigrayan soldiers who have faithfully served as members of the United Nations Peace Keeping Force on the Sudan-South Sudan border are fearful to return to Ethiopia via Addis Ababa. The United Nations has not offered them any clear options of safe transfer to Tigray or a manner to claim asylum.

Thousands of Tigrayan members of the Ethiopian Defense Force have been arbitrarily detained since November 2020. Court martials held in somewhat secret circumstances sentenced them en toto without defense to long prison terms although many Ethiopian officials have threatened summary execution. The United Nations has an duty to protect these loyal soldiers.