The battles between Ethiopian government-aligned troops and Tigrayan forces may have stopped, but herders in western Afar region are left fighting for survival. The record drought in the Horn of Africa that has killed millions of livestock has been made worse by landmines left by combatants. Landmines and other explosives are so common in the area that some locals use the wood from their crates as building materials. Bekele Gonfa, executive director of a nonprofit in Addis Ababa that supports landmine victims, said people in mined areas of Ethiopia, like Chifra, need help. But with the ongoing drought, people in Chifra have little choice but to risk landmines if they want to find food for their animals and collect water for their survival.
SOURCE: VOA