Authorities in the Ethiopian Tigray region adopt missile strikes in Eritrea

On Sunday, authorities in the Ethiopian region of Tigray denounced the missile attacks that hit Eritrea. The leader of the Ethiopian region of Tigray said his forces shelled the airport in Eritrea’s capital Asmara on Saturday night, confirming diplomatic reports of a major escalation in the 11-day conflict in Ethiopia.

This comes as the Ethiopian media quoted Ethiopia’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister as saying: “The military operation in Tigray is progressing rapidly and the highest priority is to protect civilians.”

Debrision Gabramikail, president of the Tigray region, stated that his forces had fought against the Eritrean forces “on various fronts” in recent days.

Gabramikail told “Reuters” that his forces are fighting “16 divisions” of the Eritrean army, in addition to Ethiopian forces. He said his forces are fighting Eritrean forces on several fronts.

The head of the Tigray region told “AFP” that “Ethiopian forces are also using the Asmara airport” in their military operation against their area, which makes the airport a “legitimate target”, according to him. attacks that occurred on Saturday night.

The confirmation represents a major escalation, as bloody fighting in the Tigray region of northern Ethiopia now spreads across the international border.

In another interview with the “Associated Press”, the Tigray president did not mention the number of missiles fired at the city of Asmara on Saturday, but said it was the only city in Eritrea that was attacked. And he threatened more, saying: “We will attack any legitimate military target and shoot.”

Of the Ethiopian troops

Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed launched a military offensive in the restless North Tigray region on November 4. The Eritrean government denied any role in the conflict.

In a major escalation of the conflict that began 11 days ago between Ethiopian federal forces and local forces in the northern region of Tigray, 5 regional diplomats revealed that at least 3 missiles were fired at the Eritrean capital from Ethiopia on Saturday night. , while 3 diplomats reported that at least about two missiles that hit the Asmara airport.

This escalation came at a time when international calls continue to stop it in Ethiopia, fearing the possibility of the country being drawn into the fire of a never-ending civil war, with the continued intensity of military operations between the federal government. and the Tigray People’s Liberation Front.

The “Tigray People’s Liberation Front”, which governs the Ethiopian region of Tigray, adopted on Saturday the launch of missiles at two airports near the area and threatened to attack neighboring Eritrea.

Eritrea and Ethiopia signed a peace agreement two years ago, but the government of Eritrea President Isaias Afwerki remains hostile to Tigray’s leadership after its role in the devastating war between 1998 and 2000.

There was no immediate comment from the Ethiopian government on Gabramikiel’s account of the attacks in Eritrea.

On Saturday, a member of Gabramikail’s party, the Popular Front for the Liberation of the Tigrayans, threatened to attack Eritrean targets.

Abiy accuses the Tigray People’s Liberation Front, which runs the mountainous region of more than 5 million people, of treason and terrorism, and says its military campaign will restore order. Abiy won the Nobel Peace Prize thanks to the 2018 peace agreement with Eritrea.

On Friday, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees said the fighting in Ethiopia had led more than 14,500 people to flee to Sudan.

The Tigray leader said that his government, the Popular Front for the Liberation of Tigray, did not have a communication channel with Eritrea even before the conflict. The two sides face a bitter dispute after a long and deadly border war that ended after Abi Ahmed took power in 2018.

The Tigray People’s Liberation Front is angry at being sidelined by Abiy Ahmed’s sweeping political reforms. He is also opposed to postponing national elections until next year, which would expand Abiy’s government.

In September, the Front challenged and held regional elections that the federal government called illegal.