Amhara troops threaten TDF as Abiy Ahmed suspends ceasefire
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Staff reporter GAROWE ONLINE
- Posted On 15-07-2021, 08:40AM
NAIROBI, Kenya - The conflict in Ethiopia may intensify in the coming weeks following tough statements from Amhara regional forces and Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, who accused Tigray Defense Forces [TDF] of "defiance" throughout the unilateral ceasefire which was declared a few weeks ago.
On Tuesday, the Tigray Defense Forces otherwise known as Tigray People's Liberation Front [TPLF] captured Alamata town in the southern part of the state, flushing Amhara regional forces who had been in control for several months.
Tigray Defense Forces are in the process of also capturing Western Tigray, which is ideally controlled by Amhara troops but the Amhara forces have now vowed to attack, accusing TDF of defiance and provocative, in the latest development within Ethiopia.
Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed abruptly pulled central government troops out of most of Tigray last month, citing a unilateral ceasefire that the TPLF mocked as "a joke" designed to justify his forces' retreat. Wednesday's statement marked a shift in rhetoric, as Abiy said the ceasefire had failed to deliver.
A spokesman for the Amhara regional government also said the authorities there were rallying their own forces for a counter-attack against Tigrayan forces.
"The regional government has now transitioned from defensive to offensive," Amhara spokesperson Gizachew Muluneh was quoted as saying by the region's state-run Amhara Media Corporation. "Amhara militia and special forces have been systematically trying to defend but now our patience has run out and as of today we have opened an offensive attack."
He did not respond to requests for further comment. On Tuesday the National Movement of Amhara, a major regional political party, called on irregular volunteer militia - known as Fano - to mobilize.
When Abiy sent troops to fight the TPLF last year, Amhara militia fought on the central government's side, using the opportunity to take control of a swathe of the territory administered by Tigrayans for decades.
Since Abiy's abrupt withdrawal on June 28, the TPLF has pushed steadily outwards, recapturing most of Tigray. Its forces retook Alamata, the main town in the south, on Monday and pushed across the deep ravine of the Tekeze River to take Mai Tsebri from Amhara control on Tuesday. read more
On Wednesday, Abiy Ahmed indicated plans to redeploy troops to the Tigray region, where they had been accused of orchestrating genocide, arguing that TDF has been defiant despite his commitment to end the operation, which targeted them from late last year.
"The ceasefire could not bear the desired fruits," he said. "The TPLF...poses a great danger to the sovereignty of the country. The federal government, through mobilizing the people of Ethiopia, is determined to curb this threat."
According to Abiy Ahmed, the TPLF decided to continue fighting rather than allow in aid or observe the ceasefire and accused them of recruiting, drugging, and deploying child soldiers.
Getachew Rada, the spokesperson of Tigray's presidency and the TPLF, dismissed Abiy Ahmed's claims, arguing that their troops have been facilitating humanitarian teams in the region.
"We don't have child soldiers because mature soldiers are never in short supply," he told Reuters via satellite phone.
Getachew also repeated that the TPLF welcomes aid, and would not observe a ceasefire while parts of Tigray remained under the control of the central government or its allies.
One refugee from Adi Harush camp told Reuters Tigrayan militia were searching refugees' homes and confiscating cell phones, Reuters reported.
“There is still shooting all around the camp," he said.
Tigrayan militia took about 19 refugees from Adi Harush on Wednesday to an unknown location and one refugee - a Muslim man - was killed after they told him to carry some weapons and he refused, another refugee told Reuters.
"Our forces are not after Eritrean refugees. We will make sure refugees are protected and we are more than ready to investigate any claims," TPLF's Getachew said, adding refugees would be permitted to leave the area if they wished.
GAROWE ONLINE
