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NAIROBI, Kenya: The leader of Ethiopia’s rebellious Tigray region has confirmed the launch of missiles at the neighboring capital of Eritrea and threatens more, marking a huge escalation as deadly clashes in northern Ethiopia between the Tigray forces and the federal government are spread across an international border.
Tigray regional president Debretsion Gebremichael, in a telephone interview Sunday with The Associated Press, did not say how many missiles were fired at the city of Asmara on Saturday, but said it was the only city in Eritrea that was hit.
“As long as the troops are here fighting, we will take any legitimate military target and fire,” he said, accusing Eritrea of sending troops to the Tigray region and denying reports that regional Tigray forces have entered Eritrea.
“We will fight them on all fronts with whatever means we have,” he said. He claimed that around 16 Eritrean divisions are fighting in what he called a “full-scale war”.
Ethiopia’s looming civil war between a regional government that once dominated the country’s ruling coalition and a Nobel Peace Prize-winning prime minister whose radical reforms sidelined the power of the Tigray region could fracture a key ally. security forces and destabilize the strategic Horn of Africa. , with the potential to send tens of thousands of refugees to Sudan.
The United States strongly condemned the “unjustifiable attacks against Eritrea … and its efforts to internationalize the conflict” in the Tigray region.
At least three rockets appeared to target the Asmara airport, hours after the Tigray regional government warned it could strike. He accuses Eritrea of attacking at the invitation of the Ethiopian government after the conflict in the Tigray region broke out on November 4 with an attack by regional forces on a federal military base there.
In a security alert, the US Embassy in Eritrea said that “a series of loud noises were heard in Asmara” on Saturday night, and “unconfirmed reports indicate that they may have been explosive devices believed to be found in the vicinity of Asmara International Airport. There is no indication that the airport has been attacked. “
The regional leader of Tigray did not want to say how many missiles are at the disposal of his forces but said that “we have several. We can use it selectively, anywhere. “When asked about how to attack Ethiopia’s capital Addis Ababa, he replied,” I don’t want to tell you, but the missiles are also long-range. “
Officials in Eritrea, one of the loneliest nations in the world. They have not responded to requests for comment.
Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed in a short statement stated that “Ethiopia is more than capable of achieving the objectives of the operation by itself.” He did not mention the missiles or Eritrea, but added: “Justice will prevail. Ethiopia will prevail! “His office in a separate statement said that” we will see this operation come to an end. “
The Tigray leader said he had no communication with the Ethiopian federal government. The African Union is pushing for a ceasefire, he said, “but the prime minister is not ready to listen. He believes in the power that he has. “He called this a” really complicated situation that requires international intervention. “
Tigray’s heavily armed regional government split from Ethiopia’s ruling coalition last year and opposes the postponement of national elections until next year, extending Abiy’s rule. In September he held a regional challenge election.
Each side considers the other as illegal, and the federal government says that members of the ruling “clique” of the Tigray region must be arrested and their arsenal destroyed. Abiy calls it a “law enforcement action,” while his military officers call it war.
The Tigray leader told the AP that not many people were killed in the clashes, but said that “there is a very massive displacement taking place. The fighting is happening on all fronts, apart from air strikes. “He added,” We have to defend ourselves, you know?
The Tigray region is sandwiched between Ethiopian forces, Eritrea and Sudan, which has closed its border but allows the entry of refugees.
The Tigray leader said that his government, the Tigray People’s Liberation Front, did not have a communication channel with Eritrea even before the conflict. The two sides are at odds after a long and deadly border war that ended after Abiy took office in 2018.
Abiy has rejected international requests for an immediate reduction.
In another bloody example of rising tensions in Ethiopia, at least 34 people were killed in a “gruesome attack” on a passenger bus in the western Benishangul-Gumuz region on Friday, the Ethiopian Human Rights Commission said. He did not say who attacked.
The conflict could attract more countries. A senior TPLF official, Getachew Reda, claimed on social media that Ethiopia’s prime minister “is now enlisting the support of UAE drones based in (the Eritrean city of) Assab in its devastating war against the Tigray village. ” He offered no proof.
Officials in the United Arab Emirates had no comment. For years, the UAE has built a military presence in Eritrea at the port of Assab and an airfield that was once abandoned there, but has since reportedly reduced its forces after largely withdrawing from the war. led by Saudi Arabia in Yemen.
The United Nations and others have warned of an impending humanitarian disaster in the escalating conflict, as some 25,000 hungry and frightened Ethiopian refugees have fled the Tigray region for Sudan. Communications and transportation links to the Tigray region remain almost completely cut off, and millions are at risk due to shortages of food, fuel and other supplies.
Across the border in Sudan, refugees, about half of them children, huddled in makeshift tents with sheets, including umbrellas, as authorities scrambled to organize assistance in the remote area and more arrivals were on the way.
“The situation is very bad at the moment,” said Jens Hesemann of the UN refugee agency in the town of Hamdayet, describing it as a generous but “very burdened” community.
“War is pointless,” said one refugee, Fabrik Tessafay. “This is genocide, it seems to me. This is genocide, destroy the people of Tigray and Tigray. “
Shocked, they described being attacked even while fleeing.
“Thus, all of Tigray will be killed,” said another refugee, Alem Gabril. “The President (of Eritrea) Isaias Afwerki also attacked us, they beat us in the Al-Hamra region, we went to the river and they attacked us there, and some of the people were killed and others crossed into Sudan.”
A woman groaned when told that her son had been killed in the fighting.
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