TPLF: We shall defend our ancestral land as a matter of life and death

MEKELLE, Ethiopia - The Tigray People's Liberation Front [TPLF] has exuded confidence in winning the "genocidal" campaign being orchestrated by Ethiopian National Defense Forces [ENDF] and their Eritrean counterparts while calling on Tigrayans to "take weapons and defend our territory"

With calls from different stakeholders for a ceasefire, the war, which was reignited in August after over 18 months of stalemate, could take even much longer following operations launched by ENDF and the Eritrean troops, who are yet to withdraw from the Tigray region.

The External Affairs office of the Tigray government conceded that the Ethiopian and Eritrean troops had taken over the populous town of Shire in northwestern Mekelle, adding that the people of Tigray will fight back to defend their ancestral land.

"The Eritrean and Ethiopian armies have continued with their barbaric aggression and of today, they have entered the city of Shire," read the statement. "Our peerless Tigray army is defending the people of Tigray and ancestral land as a matter of life and death."

This is the first time TPLF is losing a strategic town to the Ethiopian army since the war started in November 2020, but the Tigray militia has vowed to fight back. Diplomats said the town had however been abandoned by civilians who feared anticipated heavy battles.

For the region to survive the genocidal campaign, the External Affairs office noted, all Tigrayans should come out and fight for their survival. This is the first time such a passionate appeal is made, an indication that TPLF could be running out of depth, something which could lead to defeat.

"There is no doubt that ultimately emerge victorious and every capable Tigrayan should defend with the customary Tigrayan determination," the statement added, in what could yet again trigger a bloodbath in the Horn of Africa nation which is under international community watch.

The United Nations recently emphasized that it will support mechanisms by the African Union to broker a truce in the region by the AU is yet to convene even a single meeting. There is fear that several people could die of hunger due to humanitarian aid restrictions imposed by the Ethiopian government in the region.

GAROWE ONLINE