Tigrayan forces fired rockets at Eritrea’s capital as the deadly fight in Ethiopia’s northern region Tigray appeared to spill across the international border.
On Saturday, Tigrayan forces fired rockets at Eritrea’s capital. The Tigray Peoples Liberation Front TPLF confirmed that it executed the attacks. The TPFL claimed that it had fired the rockets because Eritrea had attacked them at the invitation of Ethiopia’s federal government. Additionally, the Tigray regional government said that it would continue firing missiles at Eritrea’s airports unless the attacks against them stop.
Attack on Airports in Eritrea
The Tigray regional government cautioned it might attack hours before the actual attack occurred. At least three rockets were aimed at the airports in Eritrea’s capital, Asmara. Later on, the TPFL announced it had successfully hit two airports in the neighboring Amhara region of Ethiopia. But because Eritrea is one of the most reclusive countries, no one on the ground, including the information ministry, could be reached to confirm the allegations. Additionally, details on any possible deaths or damage were not confirmed.
However, Ethiopia’s federal government said that the airports in Gondar and Bahir were damaged in the strikes by the Tigray regional forces. Ethiopia’s government added that they were sure that the Tigrayan forces were repairing and utilizing the last of the weaponry within their arsenals.
Tigrayan Forces Kill Hundreds
The conflict in the north of Ethiopia appears to be spreading across an international border and threatens to cause civil war at Africa’s horn. Some experts have warned that Eritrea, which has been at bitter odds with the Tigray regional government, could be pulled into Ethiopia’s growing conflict. Meanwhile, at least 25,000 refugees have fled Ethiopia heading for Sudan for safety.
It is believed that the conflict has caused the deaths of hundreds of people on both sides of the conflict. The government of Ethiopia fears that there might be ethnic targeting in the Tigray region. But the Tigray People’s Liberation Front, which governs the northern part, denied allegations that hundreds of civilians had been killed. Amnesty International organization, on the other hand, said they had confirmed the massacre was real. The organization cited a man helping to clear away bodies as saying many of the dead were ethnic Amharas.
With communication and transport links in the Tigray region severed, verifying Amnesty international’s claims has been difficult. Desperate families cannot reach relatives in the region or communicate with them through the phone. Humanitarian organizations and the United Nations warned that if the conflict persists, it poses a great danger. Food, fuel, and other supplies could run out for the millions of people living in the area.
Fears of Ethnic Profiling
The Ethiopian Human Rights Commission fears that the claims of ethnic profiling in Tigray might be valid. The Commission said in a statement they had visited 43 people in police custody in the capital Addis Ababa. They said they visited the detained to try and ascertain whether the claims of ethnic profiling were true. When some officials talked to some of the arrested, they told them that they had been detained only because of their ethnicity.
There are no signs that the fighting in Tigray will stop. The Prime Minister of Ethiopia decided to further worsen the situation by rejecting calls to de-escalate the problem immediately.
More:
