Tigray conflict divides Ethiopian troops serving in AMISOM

BELEDWEYNE,Somalia | The crisis at Tigray region of Ethiopia has reportedly hit hard the Ethiopian National Defense Forces [ENDF] serving in AMISOM, something which could derail ongoing mission to restore peace and stability in the Horn of Africa nation, which has battled with insecurity for almost three decades. 

Ethiopia is one of the AMISOM contributing nation and it is estimated that over 4,000 soldiers are in Somalia for the peacekeeping mission. Also, it us believed that close to 1000 non-Amisom troops from ENDF serve in Somalia especially in Gedo region, Jubaland. 

But ever since Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed ordered for the deployment of ENDF troops to Tigray, a region in the north which had allegedly activated her local TPLF forces against the ENDF Northern Command bases, the crisis seems to have even escalated in the neighboring Somalia. 

There were initial reports that Ethiopia had withdrawn over 1000 soldiers from Somalia and subsequently posted them in Tigray region. The claims could not be confirmed by AMISOM and Ethiopia but their absence from Gedo was confirmed by several local officials in Jubaland.

Even more worrying was the fact that Tigrayans serving in AMISOM as part of ENDF were allegedly disarmed, causing discomfort in the peacekeeping mission. While the reports are yet to be confirmed by AMISOM, it's said that Tigrayans were ordered back to their bases because they are "danger to the existence of ENDF". 

And the matter could have even escalated over the weekend after multiple reports confided to Garowe Online that the ENDF troops serving in AMISOM opened fire against one another in Halgan area of Hiran region, central Somalia. 

Sources said the fight broke out when a section of ENDF troops tried to disarm colleagues of Tigray ethnicity leading to fierce shooting in the region. The decision to disarm them was triggered by the fact that the soldiers of Tigray ethnicity could not be "trusted". 

Residents in Halgan said they heard gunshots at the Ethiopian base in central Somalia, but could not confirm casualties. Until now, neither the AMISOM nor the Ethiopian military is yet confirm the reports, which could cause a devasting setback to the AMISOM team.

After the crisis broke out last month, Somalia was ond of the country which expressed support to Addis Ababa's quest to contain "violence" in Tigray. Since then, the Ethiopian government has announced that the operation has been finalized after ENDF managed to capture Merille, the regional administrative capital of Tigray. 

Tigray region had defied the federal government and went on to conduct regional polls without express authority from the National Elections Board of Ethiopia. The board had postponed elections due to the Coronavirus pandemic, but the region accused it of "dishonesty". 

GAROWE ONLINE