The war waged by the Ethiopian Federal Government and Eritrea against the Tigray regional government, which lasted from November 2020 to November 2022, caused massive devastation. Multiple war crimes were reported and there were claims of genocidal intent. A starvation campaign led to the death of at least 300,000 civilian victims.
One of the places that managed to escape the destruction was the Dabba Selama village. Located in Tigray’s Dogu'a Tembien district, the village is composed of four settlements, home to about 5,000 people. These settlements are scattered around one of Ethiopia’s oldest monasteries. Located on an isolated, elevated, flat ridge, the community is highly dependent on agriculture.
