As a terrorist TPLF group continued its barbaric atrocities and robbery against civilians, on August 30, 2021, it also went on threatening residents of Mersa Town, North Wollo of the Amhara State, to stay in their house as it was searching and robbing the properties of the residents going door to door.
It was then a member who separated from the group entered into the house of Zekia Ahmed who is a mother of a ten-year old boy. The TPLF militia then told the mother that she is the wife of a soldier. Thinking of terrifying the woman, he also uttered that he would fire his gun so that his friends would be aware of his whereabouts and come, however, the one thing he didn’t realize was that he was talking to a courageous and strong mother who would sacrifice her life rather than being humiliated in his hands.
She told him he could search the house while she was standing outside of her house but he insisted on getting her inside the house yet she resisted. He then continued to hurt her mind with ethnic slur.
When he finally realized that she was firm with her stance, the man shot her twice on her legs and ran away. Knowing absolutely nothing to do to treat his mother, the boy simply tried to make his mom open her eyes. As she was spreading on the ground and had been unable to talk to him for she actually was losing lots of blood at the moment, he gave up and sat getting confused.
The yelling of her son brought Zakia back to her conscious. She thought that her son too was shot. She then asked her son if he was shot but fortunately, he was fine except for the pain of seeing his dying mother soaked in blood.
“I was not able to feel my legs but I was unconsciously listening to my son trying to help me stay awake. But I was losing lots of blood so I could not find the strength to respond to him until his voice finally went blank. I tried to ask him if he was shot too, fortunately, he told me he was fine.”
Then, the boy runs off to call out help for his mother and is brought back with their neighbors. Her neighbors did everything they could to help her. Out of those genuine neighbors, Mengesha Goshu was the one who treated her wound using his skills. Risking his own life, he had also gone out to get medicine to treat the wound and fell into the hands of the rebel group and his phone and money were robbed.
“Even after losing his money, he never hesitated to help me. I am very grateful that he did everything he could to save my life,” she underscored.
Though the woman, who dared to put her life at risk than being raped by the TPLF militia, has survived and her wound seems recovered, she said that she feels great pain inside and need further medical treatment.
BY BETELHEM BEDLU
THE ETHIOPIAN HERALD DECEMBER 23/2021
