Ethiopia: Eritrea soldiers not fighting in Tigray region

Seleshi Bekele, the Ethiopian ambassador to the US [Photo: AP]

ADDIS ABABA - Ethiopia has sensationally denied claims that the Eritrean National Defense Forces have crossed over to the country to join an ongoing operation against the Tigray People's Liberation Front [TPLF], who are at loggerheads with the national army for the last 22 months.

Last week, the TPLF spokesperson Getachew Reda claimed Eritrea troops had entered the country, adding that they were keen to help the Ethiopian National Defense Forces [ENDF]. Eritrea has remained mum over the claims despite mounting international pressure.

Seleshi Bekele, the Ethiopian ambassador to the US, dismissed the allegations, arguing that those propagating the information are reluctant to gather facts from the ground. He accused TPLF of raising "false" alarms.

When asked by CNN about Eritrea's entry, Seleshi Bekele said "not at all,” and added, “we don’t have information on that; we hear on social media, etc…” He also blamed the TPLF for having a “behavior of attracting Eritrea to enter into the conflict…”

Eritrea has been fighting allegations of entering the Tigray region, with the UN Special Rapporteur confirming the allegations. The US and other stakeholders demanded the immediate exit of the Eritrean troops last year, with both sides asked to embrace a ceasefire.

The US had strongly condemned Eritrea for re-entering Ethiopia, arguing that such a move would sabotage efforts to reconcile TPLF and the government of Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed. ENDF and TPLF renewed fighting a fortnight ago, following airstrikes coordinated by the federal troops..

According to a press briefing by Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre on 02 September, “President Biden’s Special Envoy for the Horn of Africa, Ambassador Mike Hammer, will travel to Ethiopia starting this weekend to engage on the crisis in northern Ethiopia. Special Envoy Hammer will convey that all parties should halt military operations and engage in peace talks.”

In addition to its condemnation of “Eritrea’s reentry into the conflict, the US also condemned “the continuing TPLF offensive outside of Tigray and the Ethiopian government’s airstrikes.”

“There is no military solution to the conflict. Prior to renewed hostilities, we were encouraged by five months of humanitarian truce, and are now deeply concerned about the seizure of humanitarian assistance of military use,” Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said, adding “all parties should exercise restraint. And we urge de-escalation by all actors, particularly so that there can be a resumption of humanitarian relief and basic services to all parties in need.”

The war has been going on for the last 22 months, even as TPLF claimed to have stormed parts of the Amhara and Afar regions. The TPLF accuses the regional militia of the two states of combining efforts with the federal army to fight the people of Tigray in northern Ethiopia.

GAROWE ONLINE