Last year in late November, Prime Minister Abiy of Ethiopia claimed victory in the Tigray region after the government forces recaptured Tigray’s capital Mekele. But even after this announcement, low-level fighting given the go-ahead by Tigray leader Debretsion Gebremichael continued. So far, numerous people have lost their lives due to the conflict in the region. Additionally, thousands of people have ended up fleeing Tigray. There are shortages of food, medicine, and water across the region, with over 5 million people.
Fighting Continues in Tigray
Because the low-levels of fighting continuing, mostly rural areas have been on the receiving end of gunfire and explosions. The Ethiopian forces have pushed out Tigray forces out of cities in the region, and in turn, they have taken the fighting into small villages with poorer people. These villages have since seen assaults day and night by heavy artillery from the government troops trying to repel the Tigray forces.
Numerous reports from eyewitnesses from the Tigray region have also revealed that Eritrean troops have involved themselves in Tigray’s fighting. But the reports from these witnesses are difficult to verify. The Ethiopian government sealed off Tigray from media and foreign aid workers. Furthermore, telecommunication in many areas in the region is still not working.
Most news reporters are dependent on the information they get from witness accounts by survivors and others. So far, most of those providing information has confirmed the involvement of neighboring Eritrea. The witnesses estimate the Eritrean soldiers to be in the thousands and accuse them of raping, intimidating, and targeting vulnerable Tigrayans.
Debretsion Gebremichael makes his First Comment after three Months.
Due to these claims, the fugitive leader of Ethiopia’s embattled Tigray region made his first public comment after a period of three months of silence. The former ruling party leader urged Tigrayans abroad to contribute money and time to support the region’s fighters. Debretsion Gebremichael said in his audio messages that he and the troops would proceed with their mission to extend the region’s resistance. He also called on foreign nations to condemn the Ethiopian and Eritrean governments. The former leader accused them of rape and looting cases in the region.
Debretsion’s recording was posted on Facebook this week. A media outlet affiliated with the former ruling party, the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF), posted the recording. According to the recording, the Tigray troops have been engaged in extended resistance with the government since November 4th. The audio stated that the federal government troops had temporarily achieved dominance in the region as they would soon fall.
No media outlets have so as so far been able to verify the audio’s authenticity to date. In a statement, Billene Seyoum Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s spokeswoman stated that a criminal clique’s Facebook page’s comments were merely delusional. She added that the TPLF sought to divert the Ethiopian people’s attention from their horrendous crimes with unfounded claims. Billene urged foreign nations and the media to expose these individuals.
Spokeswoman Billene Seyoum revealed that the government would be establishing a task force to investigate heightened concerns over violence against women in Tigray.
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