Araweelo News Network.
By. Arraale M Jaama Freelance Journalist and Human Rights Activist based in Hargeisa Somaliland.
Addis Ababa (ANN) – The Conflict in Ethiopia has escalated, with deadly fighting in the northern region of Tigray entering its third week. The Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed has told the TPLF-controlled northern mountainous region, home to more than five million people, to lay down their arms on Wednesday or face the latest crackdown. in the Tigray regional capital of Mekelle.
READ: Ethiopia: Abiy’s indiscriminate bombardment of Makkale University and historical sites in Tigray region
Abiy Ahmed, who rejected African Union mediation and calls for an end to the conflict, called on the Tigray regional administration of the TPLF on Sunday to lay down arms to its fighters for 72 hours. But Tigay officials ridiculed Abay Ahmed’s remarks, saying they were not surrendering to their enemies and defending their land.
READ: Sudan Will Decide the Outcome of the Ethiopian Civil War
Abiy’s government and military officials say they have laid siege to the Tigrean capital of Mekelle, with airstrikes in recent days damaging Mekelle University and historic sites.
Aid officials in Addis Ababa say the third week of fighting and the large number of troops in the Tigray region do not indicate the government’s victory, as they are waiting for a well-organized Tigrayan fighter. then using more experienced combat tactics.
Fighting broke out between federal forces backed by militias from the neighboring Amhara region of Tigray, along with militias and other forces from the Somali region of Ethiopia’s fifth region, Oromia and Benishangul-Gumuz.
READ: Ethiopia is a path of ethnic warfare and is on the path of the Collapsed Yugoslavia
Eritrea, the United Arab Emirates and others are also involved in the invasion of Tigray, according to Tigray regional officials. But Tigray, one of Ethiopia’s ethnic groups, is home to 110 million people, who make up about 6 or 7% of Ethiopia’s population.
The Tigrayans have a long history in Ethiopia and have ruled Ethiopia for more than two decades, following the overthrow of the coup leader Mingiste. dictatorship and replacing it with a new federal system of regional state. Currently the Tigress’s have an estimated 250,000 troops, 20,000 of whom are experienced commandos, and heavy weapons to defend against the invasion, with the help of the strategic region of their territory. “war is part of our lives,” said the Tigray regional leader.
Commentators on the war and the strategy point out that it is unlikely that the Ethiopian Federal Government and the invasion of Ethiopia will be successful, and warn of the dire consequences and impact of Ethiopia’s collapse.
Hundreds of people have been reported killed in clashes between the Ethiopian federal government and the Tigrean regional administration. According to a statement from the African Union, the appointments of former presidents Joaquim Chissano of Mozambique, Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf of Liberia, and Kgalema Motlanthe of South Africa will be the special envoy for the war in Ethiopia would stop.
“The first task of the special envoy is to mediate between all parties to the conflict to end the conflict, create conditions for an inclusive national dialogue to resolve all issues that have led to the conflict, and restore peace and stability in Ethiopia,” the AU said. The statement rejected the Abiy government, saying it would not enter into talks with the TPLF.
The government, however, said reports of delegations from the Tigrean region and the capital, Addis Ababa, were untrue and called them false.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres told reporters that the Ethiopian federal government was not interested in external mediation to end the conflict. “So far, we have not received any acceptance from the Ethiopian authorities in any form of external mediation,” he said. Antonio.
Also, Antonio called for the opening of humanitarian routes to help civilians affected by the conflict in Tigray region. The United Nations has called a desire to open humanitarian routes after three weeks of conflict between the Ethiopian army and forces loyal to the leadership of the Tigray region.
Human rights groups say atrocities have taken place since the fighting began, with thousands fleeing the crossing of the Ethiopian-Sudanese border, with aid agencies saying thousands more. Are fleeing to Sudan, and urgent assistance is needed.
The government said in a statement on Friday that Ethiopian troops had taken control of the historic towns of Axum and Adwa, but there were no independent reports confirming the claim, and it was difficult to contact. In areas where telephones and the internet have been out of order since the fighting began in early November 4, 2020.
Journalists were stopped on the battlefield, which is out to get information authenticity and condition of the real, and the government of Ethiopia interdicts some international media, including journalists in the province withdrawal of licenses, and the banned local media outlets suspected of impartially reporting on the situation there.
However the situation has become alarming, as it is difficult to ascertain what is happening in the area and how it is true because the telephone and internet lines have been cut off since the beginning of the war, and it is on the rise.
There are fears that the ongoing conflict could have a devastating effect on the country, which is home to an estimated 110 million people, divided into 82 culturally and culturally diverse ethnic groups. The world’s poorest; it also spreads to countries in the region that threaten the security of the region, which is already fragile.
By. Arraale M Jaama Freelance Journalist and Human Rights Activist based in Hargeisa Somaliland.
