Ethio-Telecom site destroyed (Hawzen): (left to right) Sales shop, Main Distribution Frame (MDF), and power house
The two-year war on Tigray inflicted unprecedented destruction on the telecommunications infrastructure, dismantling a critical foundation for communication, governance, and socio-economic development.
The telecommunications facility located in Hawzen town was not spared from this pattern of attacks. Silencing the voice of the people, preventing communities from communicating with one another, and isolating them from the outside world were components of the systematic campaign of violence by the perpetrators.
A resident in the town stated that on December 12, 2020, at around 3:00 a.m., the telecom site was deliberately torched. A dog’s continuous barking alerted its owner to the movement of a double-cabin pickup truck around the compound. From his window, he observed the pickup’s movement. Shortly thereafter, flames erupted from the site. The resident immediately alerted neighbors using the community’s signaling method.
The Hawzen Ethio-Telecom site housed multiple layers of critical infrastructure. It included a Main Distribution Frame (MDF), a Base Transceiver Station (BTS), and a power house, all of which were central to the provision of telecom services. The site also hosts a fully equipped sales shop for Ethio-Telecom devices such as mobile phones, SIM cards, and routers, as well as customer support services.
“Two armed men were moving inside the compound. One of them was overheard urging the other in Tigrigna, saying, ‘Marks keltif’ means “Marks, hurry up”- urging him to leave the area swiftly. Shortly afterward, the two men fled the compound in the pickup truck, leaving the telecommunication site fully ablaze,” the witness said.
This facility was not only a telecommunications hub but also a lifeline for the surrounding community, serving both the town of Hawzen and nearby rural areas. Its destruction reflects the deliberate targeting of critical infrastructure, with far-reaching consequences for communication, social life, and economic resilience, ultimately aggravating the humanitarian crisis in the Tigray region.
For the details, see the full report, from page 116:https://citghub.org/targeted-destruction-damage-and-loss-assessment-on-tigrays-public-infrastructure-sector/