TPLF: Abiy Ahmed strategizing to finish Tigrayans with help of Eritrea

MEKELLE, Ethiopia - The Tigray People's Liberation Front [TPLF] has once again accused Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed of plotting to "finish off Tigrayans" with the assistance of Eritrea soldiers, just weeks after fighting erupted in the northern region of the country.

Getachew Reda, the spokesperson of the TPLF, has sensationally claimed that the Ethiopian troops and their Eritrean counterparts are advancing, making TPLF strategically position itself to "resist" all attempts geared toward finishing the people of Tigray.

"If they are allowed to get away with this, it means we're welcoming a devastating and more dangerous role in the entire region. Abiy will have an opportunity to pick from where he left when he was blocked in Tigray and to finish off the people of Tigray," Reda told the media, Thursday.

While condemning the ongoing fighting, the spokesperson also claimed the Eritrean troops are fully involved in the conflict, adding that they have been assisting Ethiopian National Defense Forces [ENDF], with an aim of completely breaking TPLF resistance.

According to him, Eritrea has deployed infantry teams, special forces, and commandos to Tigray, adding that TPLF has significantly managed to contain them despite being smaller in number compared to "our enemies". The UN has been calling for an end to hostilities.

"Eritreans are involved in this conflict. They have deployed special units, commands, and infantry teams. Nothing more is left. The Eritreans are using Ethiopian troops as cannon fodders. They are blaming the Sudanese who are nowhere in Tigray. TPLF is much present in our territory," he said.

"Despite our forces being in small number, they have held them. The international community should understand this isn't just a conflict between TPLF and Abiy Ahmed. It has the full involvement of Eritreans. Entire Ethiopian military and Eritreans are trying to break our resistance."

Elsewhere, Ethiopian Ambassador to the U.K., Teferi Melesse Desta called on the U.S. to push the rebel TPLF towards peace, state-affiliated media; Fana reported.

In an interview with the BBC, Ambassador Teferi said: “If the US is clear in terms of stopping the round conflict, it should put pressure on TPLF to come to the negotiating table.”

Ethiopia has been building on the ceasefire; the humanitarian supplies were going well; air flights were delivering food and non-food items, including medicine; all these contributed to the peace effort, but it was not reciprocated, he claimed.

GAROWE ONLINE