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A monastery looted and destroyed in Ethiopia

The Christian Post reports that a historic monastery in Ethiopia has allegedly been looted, bombed and destroyed while a monk was reportedly killed amid ongoing violence in Tigray, the nation's war-torn northern region.

 

According to reports, treasures located inside the Debre Damo Monastery, such as ancient manuscripts, were allegedly looted by troops from neighbouring Eritrea who are allied with the Ethiopian National Defense Force. 

The historic house of worship dates back to the sixth century and contains painted ceilings and walls. It is believed to have been founded by one of the Nine Saints of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church. The monastery can only be reached after climbing up an eighty-foot cliff.

According to the United Kingdom-based newspaper The Times, the other buildings that have been “completely destroyed” include monks’ ancient dwellings. The outlet reported that some claim the attacks to be “cultural cleansing” in the heritage-rich region laden with valuable artifacts. 

Aid organisations working in the East African country say they are “preparing for the worst” after months of conflict between state forces and regional fighters in Tigray that has yielded thousands of deaths. 

Source and image: christianpost.com

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