According to information released by the World Food Program, on August 24 an armed commando allegedly broke into the humanitarian organization’s headquarters in Mekelle, Tigray, illegally taking 12 fuel tanks totaling 570,000 liters of fuel (https://www.voanews.com/a/wfp-chief-alleges-tplf-stole-fuel-designated-for-humanitarian-use/6716378.html).
The fuel stocks, which had arrived only a few days earlier, are needed for humanitarian aid distribution activities in the region, and, according to the WFP, the theft of the tanks would make it impossible for activities to continue.
WPF Executive Director David Beasley denounced the incident, openly accusing the Tigrinya authorities of the incident, claiming that the theft of the fuel coincided with the resumption of military operations in southern Tigray (https://news.un.org/en/story/2022/08/1125442).
The risk, according to Beasley, is now that WFP’s ability to deliver humanitarian aid to 5.2 million people will be seriously compromised, calling the behavior of the TPLF authorities as outrageous.
TPLF authorities responded to WFP’s accusations on August 25 with an official statement calling Beasley’s words baseless, claiming that they had given the humanitarian organization a credit for 600,000 liters of fuel to run its operations and demanded its return, as agreed, to fuel essential infrastructure in the region.
