Ethiopia PM orders ‘final’ offensive on Tigray leaders
Published on: Saturday, November 28, 2020
By: AFP
Etiophian military near the border of Tigray and Amhara.
ADDIS ABABA: Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed ordered Ethiopia’s army to launch a “final” offensive against Tigray’s dissident leaders in their regional capital Mekele, saying the deadline for their surrender had expired.Abiy, the winner of last year’s Nobel Peace Prize, late Sunday gave the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) 72 hours to lay down their arms.
ADVERTISEMENT
The ultimatum was rejected by the leaders of the region, whose forces have been fighting federal troops in the country’s north for three weeks.
The violence has claimed hundreds of lives and displaced more than 40,000, with some refugees claiming Thursday that Ethiopia’s army has blocked a main road to Sudan, preventing those fleeing the conflict from crossing the border.
Ethiopia’s army, which in recent days said it was advancing on Mekele with tanks, have been directed “to conclude the third and final phase” against the TPLF, Abiy said.
“In this final phase, great care will be given to protect innocent civilians from harm. All efforts will be made to ensure that the city of Mekele, which was built through the hard work of our people, will not be severely damaged,” Abiy promised.
ADVERTISEMENT
He said “thousands” of TPLF militia and special forces had surrendered to federal forces before the deadline lapsed.
It was not immediately clear how close the army was to the city. A communications blackout in Tigray and restrictions on reporting have made verifying claims from both sides difficult.
ADVERTISEMENT
Diplomats briefed on the fighting told AFP on Wednesday that federal forces were at least 30 kilometres (18 miles) from Mekele to the north and the south.
The threatened assault and fears for Mekele’s half a million inhabitants accelerated diplomatic efforts to mediate, with the UN Security Council holding its first meeting on the crisis on Tuesday.
UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres urged “the leaders of Ethiopia to do everything possible to protect civilians” as the US, EU and other international powers encouraged mediation through the African Union (AU), which is headquartered in Addis Ababa.
Rights groups have warned bombarding Mekele could constitute a war crime.
“Despite the Ethiopian military’s warnings to residents, warnings alone do not absolve the government of its obligation to take constant care to protect civilians, particularly when using airpower and heavy weaponry” in congested urban areas, Human Rights Watch said.Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express’s Telegram channel.
Daily Express Malaysia
