In a revelation that has sent shockwaves through the international humanitarian community, Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) has officially labeled the slaying of its three staff members in Tigray in June 2021 as a “deliberate and targeted” execution—carried out at close range by Ethiopia’s military forces. This is no crossfire tragedy; according to MSF, it was cold-blooded murder.
The killing of emergency coordinator María Hernández Matas (35), assistant coordinator Yohannes Haleform Reda, and driver Tedros Gebremariam (both 31) unfolded on June 24, 2021, near Abi Adi in central Tigray. The trio, identifiable by their MSF‑marked white vests and vehicle, were ambushed—even though there was no active fighting nearby. Witnesses recount hearing radio orders from an Ethiopian National Defence Forces (ENDF) commander to “go for them… eliminate them.”
MSF’s internal investigation—bolstered by satellite imagery, eyewitness testimony, and troop movement data—concludes that the three were shot multiple times at close range, their vehicle left bullet-riddled and ablaze. One chilling account highlights that they were “not killed by mistake, or in a crossfire situation… shot several times at close range while facing their attackers.”
Four years after the atrocity, the Ethiopian government has responded with only silence—despite earlier pledges to investigate. MSF accuses authorities of failing to publish any credible findings, a grave neglect given that the killers remain unidentified and unpunished.
This pattern of violence isn’t new to Tigray. MSF teams have endured escalating harassment: one vehicle was attacked, the driver beaten, and at least four civilians witnessed being executed by soldiers while MSF staff bore witness. MSF even suspended operations in key zones like Abi Adi, Adigrat, and Axum, citing unacceptable risks.
The backdrop is a conflict where civilians—including humanitarian workers—have suffered deeply. An estimated 300,000–600,000 Tigrayans died during the 2020–2022 war. MSF’s report serves as a stark reminder: aid should not be a death sentence.
MSF Spain President Paula Gil Leyva said bluntly: “We know that our colleagues were not killed by mistake… They were fully identifiable as humanitarian workers.” In Addis Ababa, the public remains unaware of any valid investigation, reinforcing the organization’s message that “impunity for these crimes continues.”
A UN envoy echoed the outrage back in 2021, condemning the killings as a violation of international humanitarian law. Yet today, the grim calculus remains unchanged: MSF demands accountability, while Ethiopian officials offer only silence.
Why does this matter now? The timing isn’t accidental. With Tigray largely out of the international spotlight and Ethiopia’s government under intense regional pressure, MSF forces this atrocity back into the global conversation. It’s a beacon call for reform, justice, and the protection of humanitarian workers everywhere.
For MSF, it’s about more than closure—it’s about deterrence. “If such a blatant attack goes uninvestigated,” says the group, “it sets a dangerous precedent… impunity for attacks on aid workers.”
This isn’t a forgotten war casualty. It’s a deliberate, brutal assault on humanity itself. And unless there’s real accountability, it risks becoming business as usual for NGOs risking everything to help civilians in conflict zones.
