Africa-Press – Ethiopia. November 14, 2025 3 minutes read Mekelle — A report by the Commission of Inquiry on Tigray Genocide (CITG) has documented extensive destruction of public infrastructure in the Tigray region, concluding that the war and siege have wrought “near-complete breakdown” of critical systems across energy, water, telecommunications, roads and other sectors that amounts to 5 billion dollars.
According to the report, public infrastructure in Tigray was not merely collateral in conflict but was “systematically targeted”, the document states, adding that the patterns of damage aligned with deliberate efforts “to undermine the region’s economic and social foundations.”
In the energy sector, the report highlighted attacks on key facilities including the Tekeze Hydroelectric Power Plant and its transmission network. The document states that the substation servicing the plant “fell victim to attacks by both warplanes and drones”, despite “the absence of military targets in its vicinity and a state of peace in the area”. The disruption has had ripple effects, with hospitals, water-treatment plants and other services thrown offline as power sources were severed.
Telecommunications and media infrastructure also appear to have been heavily hit. The report says that on the day the war erupted, “telecommunications and internet services in Tigray were abruptly shut down” and that equipment enabling local connectivity was “promptly dismantled and transported to Addis Ababa”. The result, the CITG argues, was a blackout of communication that “deprived the people of Tigray of communication access, thereby hindering the dissemination of truth to the international community.”
Water and sanitation systems, key public sector, were likewise devastated. The report cites a sharp collapse in coverage: whereas prior to the conflict roughly 60 % of urban residents and 55 % of rural inhabitants had access to potable water, later estimates showed coverage collapsed to 28 % in rural areas and only 25 % in urban centres. One specific case cited is the Kisad Gaba Water Treatment and Supply Project, which the report says was “entirely destroyed” by the Eritrean Defense Forces during their occupation. “The construction camp was repurposed as a military base, and all spare parts and construction equipment… were looted and destroyed,” the report quotes.
Roads, transport and urban development were not spared. The report cites that the revitalized road network built in Tigray over decades—expanded from some 906 km in 1991 to over 6,400 km by 2020—suffered severe damage during the conflict. The destruction of the Axum Airport was singled out: originally built with investment exceeding 526.8 million birr, it was rendered non-functional, effectively terminating its role as the gateway to the historic city.
The CITG report underscores that across sectors the majority of losses fell into the “complete destruction” category, followed by “high-level damage”, meaning many facilities are beyond quick repair and may require rebuilding from the ground up.
On accountability, the report states: “The public infrastructure in Tigray was the primary target of both Eritrean and Ethiopian forces” adding “infrastructure of significant importance to the public was deliberately looted, damaged, and destroyed by Ethiopian, Amhara, and Eritrean forces.”
In its executive summary the report urges immediate and coordinated action. It calls for prioritisation of infrastructure rehabilitation, security of critical sites, inclusive planning that involves local communities, and transparent oversight of reconstruction resources.
The commission has also released reports on destruction on sectors earlier. On 29 October 2025, the commission released its first sectoral report, finding that Eritrean forces were responsible for the majority of nearly USD 11 billion in destruction to Tigray’s social sector.
Last week, the Commission of Inquiry on Tigray Genocide (CITG) has released a report estimating that war-induced environmental destruction in Tigray exceeds USD 46 billion, with the forest sector suffering the most severe losses. The assessment, conducted across six zones and all accessible districts, documents large-scale deforestation, soil degradation, and significant biodiversity collapse resulting from military operations, bombardments, looting, and the breakdown of natural resource management during the conflict and blockade.
The report attributed the majority of the environmental damage to the Ethiopian National Defense Forces (ENDF), Eritrean Defense Forces (EDF), and Amhara regional forces, though it notes that multiple actors were involved in different areas.
The latest publication forms part of a broader series documenting the impact of the war across multiple sectors attributing destruction to Ethiopian, Eritrean, and Amhara Forces.
TagsAmhara Forces Commission of Inquiry on Tigray Genocide (CITG) ENDF Eritrea Eritrean Defense Forces (EDF) Ethiopia Tigray Copy URL URL Copied November 14, 2025 3 minutes read Show More Facebook X LinkedIn Tumblr Pinterest Reddit VKontakte Share via Email Print
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