AT LEAST 20,000 refugees are missing after two camps in Ethiopia’s war-stricken Tigray region were destroyed, the United Nations said today.

They are believed to have fled the Hitsats and Shimelba camps during a government military offence against the restive northern state, which started in November.

The camps were destroyed in the fighting and UN vehicles that tried to reach those in need were shot at. 

Most of the refugees are believed to be from neighbouring Eritrea, which they had fled to escape political persecution and forced military conscription.

UN high commissioner for refugees Filipo Grandi called on the Ethiopian government to do more to protect civilians in the Tigray region from the consequences of the conflict.

“Whilst it is not in my place to make [a] more political judgement, I have a responsibility to tell the government to help minimise and eliminate the impact on civilians of this situation,” he said.

The situation in Tigray is extremely grave, with urgent support needed to prevent the situation worsening, Mr Grandi said.

“Our main priority is to gain access to deliver aid and protection.”

He explained that about 3,000 refugees had made it to another camp in Mai-Aini, only to be “caught in crossfire, abducted and forced to return to Eritrea under duress by Eritrean forces.”

Aid agencies have warned of mass starvation and Mr Grandi said the humanitarian situation in Tigray was “very, very urgent” and set to get worse, with aid blocked from the region’s population of five million.

According to the UN report, an estimated 100,000 people are displaced in Tigray and some 60,000 people have taken refuge in neighbouring Sudan.