By XINHUA

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The UN special adviser on the prevention of genocide, Alice Wairimu Nderitu, warned Tuesday of the heightened risk of genocide and related crimes following increased violent clashes in four Ethiopian regions.

Wairimu Nderitu said she is alarmed at the heightened risk of genocide and related atrocity crimes in Afar, Amhara, Oromia and Tigray following reports of continued fighting between government troops and local militias.

"Reports that we see coming out of Ethiopia are deeply disturbing and constitute a call for action," she said in a press release.

Read: Ethiopia faces new charge of atrocities in Amhara

"I want to particularly draw the attention of the global community to the continued presence of risk factors for genocide and related atrocity crimes in the country."

The special adviser cited reports of assailants killing entire families and forcing relatives to watch horrific crimes against their loved ones while whole communities were displaced or expelled from their homes.

"The suffering of innocent civilians should never be accepted as inevitable. Rather it must reinforce our commitment to ensure that impunity does not prevail and that all possible prevention actions are prioritized," she said.

Wairimu Nderitu called for an immediate end to wide-ranging violations perpetrated by parties to the conflict since November 2020, including mass killings, rape, starvation, destruction of schools and medical facilities, forced displacement and arbitrary detention.

Read: Eritrea army accused of ‘war crimes’ in Tigray after peace deal

"It is imperative that violence stops and that innocent civilians are not directly targeted. Ongoing hostilities constitute a war against civilians as much as a war between the warring parties," she said.