SUPPORT ETHIOPIA INSIGHT .wpedon-container .wpedon-select, .wpedon-container .wpedon-input { width: 200px; min-width: 200px; max-width: 200px; } Thousands displaced, hundreds slaughtered—yet Garba-Isse remains buried in silence.Four years ago, the sun rose over Garba-Isse like it had for centuries—golden, indifferent. By dusk, the earth was stained crimson, the air thick with screams. A day that began in ordinary rhythm ended in mass killing.On 24 July 2021, the town of Garba-Isse—perched precariously on the edge of Ethiopia’s Somali Region—became the site of one of the country’s most horrifying, and least acknowledged, massacres in recent memory.Home to pastoralist families and traders, Garba-Isse had already been strangled by months of siege when heavily armed forces from the Afar Region descended.What followed was orchestrated violence so gruesome that even today, many survivors cannot speak of it without breaking down. Yet this tragedy, rooted in years of political miscalculation and silence, remains largely ignored by the Ethiopian state.Weaponised BordersThe tragedy in Garba-Isse underscores the devastating toll of unresolved territorial disputes and politically driven decisions.Garba-Isse, also known as Gedamaytu, is one of three towns —Garba-Isse, Undufo, and Adaytu—that were controversially transferred to Afar Regional State during the era of the TPLF-led EPRDF regime, despite having no significant Afar population and no constitutional basis for such a transfer. This decision was made without the consent of the local Somali communities and laid the groundwork for future violence and displacement.Under the pretext of federal restructuring, the government redrew internal boundaries in ways that many observers believe were designed to fragment Somali territorial continuity and undermine its influence over strategic trade corridors—particularly those connecting Ethiopia to the Djibouti port, a critical economic lifeline.The consequences of this policy are now tragically visible: civilians, including vulnerable women and the elderly, have faced attacks, forced displacement, and massacres.For many Somalis, this is not merely a border dispute—it is seen as a campaign of demographic engineering, carried out under the guise of administrative restructuring. The Prosperity Party government’s reluctance to act—and its perpetuation of its predecessor’s political manipulations—has deepened mistrust.The consequences of these political decisions would explode into full-blown horror when simmering tensions gave way to slaughter.Day of HorrorThe 24 July 2021 marks the darkest day in the history of the Garba-Isse community—a day of overwhelming grief and unspeakable violence. Hundreds of Somali civilians were killed in what appeared to be an act of ethnic cleansing orchestrated by Afar authorities.Women and girls were raped. Pregnant mothers clutched their children, only to be gunned down where they stood. By nightfall, whole families had vanished, their bodies strewn across the dust like broken dolls.What makes this atrocity even more shocking is the presence—and so complicity—of the federal government. Despite having a large camp in the center of the town, federal troops failed to intervene. Survivors recount that not only did the military refrain from offering protection, but some even appeared to cooperate with the attackers.Under SiegeGarba-Isse had been under siege for four months prior to the massacre. Roads were blocked, communication was cut off, and food supplies were restricted. The town was isolated, creating dire humanitarian conditions for thousands of households.On Saturday morning, 24 July 2021, the sound of heavy artillery and machine gun fire echoed throughout the town as the assault began around 7 am and continued until 5 pm. There was no safe haven—except, for a few, the town mosque.One survivor, Abdi Muhumed Hosh, had just begun married life. He lost his wife and unborn child on that fateful day.In Biki IDP camp, Mother Wiilo Adan Bouh now struggles to raise her grandchildren after her son and pregnant daughter-in-law were slaughtered during the attack. Their pain mirrors hundreds of similar stories.Silence as PolicyFor the children growing up in camps—those who witnessed their families killed and their homes destroyed—justice is not a promise, but a void. One can only fear how they will come to see their country: a state that failed to protect them, denied their suffering, and left their trauma unacknowledged.Despite repeated warnings from Somali traditional leaders about the ongoing siege and threats of ethnic cleansing, the federal government did little. Officials claimed that federal troops were on the ground and would ensure protection. Instead of honoring its constitutional mandate, the government looked away, its silence functioning as permission for Afar forces to commit atrocities.Worse still, the media blackout that followed has prevented the tragedy from being publicly acknowledged. Reports indicate that the federal government blocked access to information and prohibited any public condemnation or expression of condolence.No Justice, No ReturnThe Somali Regional Government which assumed power after the previous administration, attempted to reverse the unjust territorial transfer. However, its efforts were met with strong military resistance from the Afar administration, which still controls the three towns through regional militias. The federal government’s minimal intervention has not only failed to protect vulnerable civilians but has also allowed the crisis to deepen.On 18 July 2024, two years after the Garba-Isse massacre, Afar Region President Awel Arba and Somali Region President Mustafe Mohammed issued a joint statement announcing that high-level discussions—alongside federal officials—had begun to address the long-standing tensions between the regions.Following this, both presidents visited their respective regional capitals, and federal authorities held dialogues with affected communities. The involvement of religious leaders from the Ethiopian Islamic Affairs Supreme Council (Ulema) signaled an effort to promote reconciliation.However, despite these symbolic gestures, the communities received only half-hearted promises.The displaced population remained firm in their stance: “No Justice, No Return”. Meanwhile, no individual from the Afar administration has been held accountable, and the federal government has continued to issue vague statements.Four years later, tens of thousands remain in displacement camps with no concrete plan for return, reconciliation, or justice. The federal government’s reluctance to act decisively has left these communities caught between political neglect and armed regional control. .wpedon-container .wpedon-select, .wpedon-container .wpedon-input { width: 200px; min-width: 200px; max-width: 200px; } Query or correction? Email us window.addEventListener("sfsi_functions_loaded", function(){if (typeof sfsi_widget_set == "function") {sfsi_widget_set();}}); While this commentary contains the author’s opinions, Ethiopia Insight will correct factual errors.Main photo: Gerba-Isse town.Published under Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International licence. You may not use the material for commercial purposes.The post Ethiopia’s Unseen Scars: The Massacre That Justice Forgot appeared first on Ethiopia Insight.