document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Please enter your username or email address to reset your password. Amhara and Eritrean forces also controlled parts of Tigray in the west and north, respectively. In the mid-1970s, a small group of militiamen founded the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF). They have also claimed the woredas (districts) of Welkait, Tegede, Kafta Humera, Tselemti, and Raya to be theirs. [163] By early March, residents said that the number of Eritrean soldiers in Tigray was in the thousands. [252], On 10 October, the TPLF claimed that Eritrea was escalating its offensive, sending more forces towards Rama, Tserona, and Zalambessa in the far north, with one aid worker saying it is the heaviest fighting since hostilities resumed. 875,879+ refugees[41] (20,000 missing)[42] Fighting broke out in Ethiopia's northern Tigray region in November 2020 after the central government accused Tigrayan fighters of attacking a federal army base and sending forces to the region . [326][327][328], After being subjected to sexual violence, many women become infected with STIs like HIV, who face difficulty getting treatment due to a sense of shame, as well as the collapse of medical infrastructure caused by the war. for investment needs. But it led to the rise of numerous terrorist groups, the Muslim Brotherhood, and a greater influence of Turkey and Qatar. [2] Heavy fighting in western Afar displaced over 54,000 people, and resulted in the TDF reportedly capturing three districts in the region. The Oromia, Sidama, and SNNPR regions answered the call and mobilised. Backed by the UAE and even the African Union, Ethiopia has managed to decimate the US-backed Tigray fighters with relentless aerial bombardment. [379] In November 2021 (during the 20212022 state of emergency), the Ethiopian Media Authority (EMA) threatened to cancel the media licences of BBC News, Reuters, CNN and Associated Press, accusing the news organisations of having "consistently disseminated news that sowed seeds of animosity among people and compromised the sovereignty of the country." According to the Voice of America, several sources with direct knowledge of the program, including three Somali officials and a foreign diplomat, confirmed to them that Somali troops have been training in neighbouring Eritrea. Beginning to December 2020. Abiy, a non-Tigrayan politician with little ties to the TPLF, enjoyed widespread popularity. The conflict has escalated rapidly since June, when fighters began to retake most of Tigray and expand intoneighboring regions. On the other hand, Ethiopia is also getting a lot of support from Russia, which is itself looking to consolidate its position in the Horn of Africa. The Emiratis understand that they must prioritize their own interests over Bidens ambition of destabilizing Ethiopia and establishing a puppet regime in the East African nation. People in the resource-rich North Kivu province have lived through . [188][189] Following the TDF's counter-attack on two districts of his region, the Amhara regional President, Agegnehu Teshager, called for the total mobilisation of all people of all ages who are armed in the region to fight against the Tigrayans. In Ethiopia, waving Russian flags has become a symbol of anger against the US meddling in the East African countrys internal affairs. Of these, this includes: an emergency Intergovernmental Authority on Development summit in December 2020;[386] a joint statement by the National Congress of Great Tigray, the Tigray Independence Party, and Salsay Weyane Tigray describing their eight pre-conditions for peace in February 2021;[387] a mediation group called "A3+1," (consisting of three African countries, Kenya, Niger and Tunisia, and one non-African country, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines) in JulyAugust 2021;[388] and a MarchAugust 2022 ceasefire wherein Ethiopian and Tigrayan officials attempted to negotiate a peaceful end to the conflict. But the East African nation is clearly maneuvering its relations between big powers like China and Russia. The Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam is the biggest symbol of Ethiopias growing ambitions. . [226] However, in January 2022, the Ethiopian Air Force began launching a bombing campaign in the Tigray Region, killing 108 people, including at least 56 from an airstrike targeting an IDP camp in Dedebit. [66] On 12 November, both parties signed a deal to allow humanitarian aid into Tigray. [205], On 30 October, it was reported that Dessie had fallen to the TDF. From 26 November to 6 December 2021, Ethiopian allied forces recaptured several towns in the Amhara and Afar regions including Lalibela and Shewa Robit, according to the Ethiopian government. [250] On 2 October, the TPLF announced it had withdrawn troops from Amhara's North Wollo Zone, including Kobo, to be redeployed north to reinforce lines under heavy Eritrean attack but warned it would return if their southern border is threatened. [238][237][239], On 27 August, the TDF captured the town of Kobo, following the ENDF's withdrawal. [162], In February 2021, the UN chief coordinator of humanitarian efforts Mark Lowcock said that up to 40% of Tigray was not controlled by Ethiopian troops. Finally, the landlocked nation of Ethiopia borders Djibouti, where many big powers like the US and China have established military bases. The UAE reportedly uses a number of front companies for the delivery of weapons to a country in which it is not officially involved. But. For them, Obama was the God of freedoms and humanity and they continue to push that belief down our throats even today. [357][309] Communications and travel links were still blocked, and Human Rights Watch warned that "actions that deliberately impede relief supplies" would violate international humanitarian law. About 4.5 million people of are still in need of aid and about 1 million of that are not in accessible areas due to ongoing fighting. [316] As of August 2021, there were 512 to 514 rape victims registered with Ethiopian hospitals;[317][318] however, the real number is probably much larger than that and can be as large as 120,000 by some estimations,[319] and many sources believe the sexual violence in Tigray was intentionally committed with the purpose of destroying the morale of the enemy, to genocide and genetically cleanse certain populations, and to spread STIs as a form of biological warfare. Fighting is raging Ethipia since November 4 when Abiy attacked Tigray state accusing the TPLF of attacking two federal military camps in the region. He is the one who got the Ethiopia-Eriteria peace deal concluded, which even the US had to acknowledge and Ahmed was also bestowed with the Nobel Peace Prize for the historic deal. [166], Ultimately, the early gains made by the ENDF and EDF against Tigrayan forces did not lead to a decisive defeat of the re-organized and invigorated TDF. Ethiopia's Tigray rebels start disarming under terms of Pretoria peace deal. Tigrayan spokesperson Getachew Reda said its forces had seen no fighting in Afar and had redeployed to the adjoining Amhara Region. Aside from Tigrayan rebel forces, he said that much of that area was under the control of the EDF, pursuing their own objectives independent of Ethiopian command. [145] The Tigray government claimed these locations contained military terminals that served as bases to carry out airstrikes. [181], On 6 July 2021, the Tigrayan government mobilised to retake western Tigray from Amhara forces. [citation needed] In Debretsion Gebremichaels order to withdraw all his forces from Tigray borders in December 2021, he mentioned "the drones provided by foreign powers" as a major factor that prompted his decision. On 20 December 2021, the TPLF announced they had withdrawn their troops from Amhara and Afar, saying they were hoping to create, as stated by TPLF chairman Debretsion Gebremichael, "a decisive opening for peace." Since the early 2000s, the Ethiopian economy has grown rapidly and has consistently clocked a GDP growth of over. So, despite US sanctions, the UAE feels the need to help and arm Ethiopian forces to take on the TPLF fighters. [265], On 25 October 2022, AU Commission Chairperson, Moussa Faki, announced that peace talks involving the Ethiopian government and the TPLF had commenced in Pretoria, South Africa. Army chief of staff of Ethiopia, General Birhanu Jula, made the accusations in a televised statement on Thursday. [91] On 15 February 2018, Hailemariam announced his resignation as both prime minister and chairman of the EPRDF, owing to a growing discontent within the public, fueled by a reaction to 27 years of repression. [135][136] Two days later, refugees interviewed by the Daily Telegraph, The Guardian and The New York Times stated that Amhara militias, including Fano,[137][138] and the ENDF[78] carried out beatings and massacres of 92 Tigrayans in Humera. To this day it is the only region in Ethiopia where no credible opposition discourse is tolerated. Tigray's regional special forces, which a senior Ethiopian diplomat estimates have grown to at least 20,000 commandosled by senior Tigrayan officers forced into retirement by Abiy, plus a . UN partners reported continued looting of health facilities. Military attacks are once again punctuating the ongoing crisis in Ethiopia. 81 - 10 February 2021", "Ethiopian cities hit by rockets from Tigray forces", "Rockets fired from Ethiopia's Tigray hit Eritrean capital, diplomats say", "Ethiopia crisis: Tigray leader vows to keep fighting as government advances", "Ethiopia: Shire Town of Tigray Captured", "Ethiopian government says troops take two towns from Tigray fighters", "Ethiopia's Tigray crisis: PM gives Tigray forces 72 hours to surrender", "Ethiopia's Tigray crisis: Mekelle hospital struggling after attack Red Cross", "Fact check: Are other nations involved in the war in Tigray? News/Politics 2023-01-12T08:05:09.775Z. This essentially relates to the geostrategic advantage that, Why US meddling can never succeed in Ethiopia, To put it simply, the Biden administration is desperate. Yabsira Eshetie, the administrator of the area, denied the claims. [324][323] There were also reports that Tigrayan forces had gang-raped dozens of women and underage girls in at least two towns in the Amhara Region,[325] and girls some as young as 14 were identified as victims of rape in the towns of Chenna and Kobo in August and September 2021. The alliance then began to run Ethiopia under a federal system, with TPLF holdingsway over the other groups and dominating politics for nearly three decades. However, if and when it is built, the megadam will help Ethiopia in generating enough hydroelectricity to solve its own power problems and also those of its neigbours. Image Credit: AFP. Recently, in a speech made at the UN general assembly, President Biden mentioned the need for an African Union-led peace initiative regarding the conflict, a position long held by Ethiopia, but one the rebels disparaged, with their spokesman accusing the AU assigned chief mediator, Olusegun Obasanjo as being too close to Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed. [229] On 26 January, the Ethiopian council of ministers also proposed to end the state of emergency. WHO Chief Tedros Adhanom supporting Tigray rebels, accuses Ethiopian Army General Ethiopia is at 'war' with Tigray region, says deputy Army chief, Berhanu Jula Ethiopia's PM launches military attack on Tigray's government as regional crisis worsens Ethiopia slams Trump's Dam remark, says 'will not tolerate aggression'; summons envoy [191] The next day, Lalibela was reported to have been seized by Tigrayan forces. "[222] On 12 December, Reuters reported that forces loyal to the TPLF had recaptured the town of Lalibela less than two weeks after government forces and their allies had recaptured control of the town for themselves. There were accusations by US officials that armed forces were specifically singling out humanitarian workers for an attack. "[352][353] WHO officials stated that childhood vaccination rates had plummeted from 90% (before the war) to under 10%. Russia has even signed a military cooperation agreement with Ethiopia. What do American soldiers, who he used as pawns think about him? [140], Offensives of joint ENDF-Amhara Region-Eritrean forces into Tigray were facilitated by the intervention of "Pterosaurus" drones, launched by the United Arab Emirates from its base in Assab, Eritrea. In the same announcement, the Ethiopian government stated that all Eritrean forces had withdrawn from the region, though this was not confirmed by the Eritrean government. While the US projects TPLF as some sort of a victim, the insurgent group actually enjoyed political power for over two and a half decades as a part of a TPLF-dominated coalition government from 1991. [334] On 25 June 2021, three Mdecins Sans Frontires workers were found murdered near their car in Tigray. [100] The TPLF condemned the peace initiatives, saying they were hastily made, had "fundamental flaws," and also claimed it was decided on without consulting long-time TPLF members. [305], On 4 June 2021, the non-profit Genocide Watch classified the events in Tigray as step 9 of genocide (eradication), as well as step 10 (denial). And that may decide the winners of the Yemen war where the UAE and Saudi Arabia are fighting the Iran-backed Houthi rebels. "[313][314] On 1 November 2021, Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed stated that "we should closely follow those who work for the enemy and live amongst us," as reports of a new roundup of ethnic Tigrayans came out of Addis Ababa. Required fields are marked *. [117][118] Ethiopia considered the Tigray election to be illegal, and responded by slashing federal funding to the region, a decision the TPLF described as "tantamount to declaration of war. One Amhara law enforcement official described this as a way to maintain "law and order" and "get rid of outside enemies. The Tigray rebels were due to disarm within 30 days of the accord but are yet to fully disband their fighting force. [192][193] On 9 August, UNICEF executive director Henrietta Fore expressed concern about reports that over 200 people, including 100 children, had been killed in attacks on displaced families sheltering at a health facility and a school in the Afar Region. The terms of the November 2 peace agreement include disarming rebel forces, restoring federal . Ethnic militia rush to Tigray border Ethiopia arrests hundreds for alleged support of Tigray rebels Ethiopia's Afar region urges civilians to fight Tigray rebels East . Vishal Tiwari The Ethiopian army chief has accused the World Health Organisation (WHO) Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus of supporting the Tigray Peoples Liberation Front (TPLF), Tigray state's dominant political party which is fighting the federal troops. Ethiopian military decimates Tigray fighters, Ethiopian forces have carried out aerial bombardment in Tigrays regional capital city of Mekelle for at least four days this week. Tigrayan guerrilla warfare (November 2020 June 2021), Tigrayan counter-offensive (June November 2021), TDF-OLA joint offensive (October December 2021), Government-allied counter-offensive (November 2021 March 2022), Resurgence of fighting (August November 2022), Second ceasefire (November 2022 present). [125][126][47][105] Several people were killed and the TPLF claimed the attack was carried out in self-defence[127][107] or preemptive self-defense. In early November 2020, TPLF forces were accused of having attacked and looted federal military bases in the region. [60] In early November 2021, the TDF, together with the Oromo Liberation Army (OLA), took control of several towns on the highway south from Tigray Region towards Addis Ababa, and the TPLF stated that it considered "marching on [the capital]. It is pushing a misleading narrative that projects the Tigray fighters as victims and the Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed as some sort of an aggressor. Abiy, a non-Tigrayan politician with little ties to the TPLF, enjoyed widespread popularity. In fact, even a US ally like the UAE is backing Ethiopia against the Tigray fighters. Since the early 2000s, the Ethiopian economy has grown rapidly and has consistently clocked a GDP growth of over 10 percent. [217][218][219][220] On 6 December, government forces claimed to have recaptured the strategic cities of Dessie and Kombolcha. Please help update this article to reflect recent events or newly available information. [329][330][331][332] The Danish Refugee Council and the International Rescue Committee reported killings of their staff in early December 2020. Whose interests is Turkey safeguarding in Sudan? [95] On 2 April 2018, Ethiopian parliament elected Abiy as prime minister. The Tigray War[b] was an armed conflict that lasted from 3 November 2020[a] to 3 November 2022. [200] On 11 October, Ethiopian-allied forces launched coordinated ground attacks "on all fronts" against the TDF with combined arms including tanks, helicopters, heavy artillery, warplanes, and drones according to the Tigrayan government. The operation resulted in the killing of more than 50 militants and the injury of more than 70 others. Ethiopia itself is located close to war-torn Yemen. "[381], The media restrictions resulted in what has been described as an "information blackout. 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