World Food Program Resumes Life-Saving Operation in Ethiopia’s Tigray Province

GENEVA - The World Food Organization reports it has resumed its humanitarian operation in northern Ethiopia’s Tigray province but says lack of security and other impediments are threatening its ability to reach millions of people in need.

Humanitarian agencies were taken by surprise by the Ethiopian government’s declaration Monday of a unilateral cease fire in Tigray and by the speed with which Tigrayan forces retook the regional capital, Mekelle. World Food Program emergency coordinator Tommy Thompson says 35 WFP staff on the ground were trapped and operations were suspended for about 48 hours. He says things have been moving quickly since the resumption of operations. He says the WFP has reached 40,000 people with food aid.