The armed forces of Ethiopia attack the capital of Tigray

The armed forces of Ethiopia attack the capital of Tigray

In the Ethiopian conflict, the country’s armed forces attacked the capital of the Tigray region, according to a regional media report. Mekelle “was bombed with heavy artillery,” regional government affiliated Tigray TV said Saturday.

Meanwhile, the central government’s office for the Tigray crisis claimed that the TPLF has always fabricated allegations that the central government was attacking cities, towns and places of civilians from the air. The armed forces would only target military targets and arms depots of the TPLF; they would not attack civilian structures such as schools or residential areas and would avoid explosions in densely populated areas.

On Friday, a senior member of the army, Hassen Ibrahim, told state broadcaster Fana that the army had captured several strategically important locations outside of Mekelles.

More than three weeks ago, the Ethiopian government launched an offensive against the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF), which is in power in the northern region of Tigray. Little is known about the local situation as the Internet, telephone connections and electricity are largely interrupted. According to UNHCR, more than 43,000 people have fled to neighboring Sudan and humanitarian organizations warn of a humanitarian disaster in Tigray. Several voices from the international community have called for a ceasefire, including recently the European Parliament.

Against the backdrop of the conflict, tensions are growing between Tigray and the central government. The TPLF dominated Ethiopia for over 25 years until Abiy came to power in 2018 and ousted the TPLF. Many people in Tigray feel they are not represented by the central government and are calling for more autonomy. In the multi-ethnic state of Ethiopia with its approximately 112 million inhabitants, there are a number of ethnic tensions that have escalated under Abiy. (sda / dpa)