[ad_1]
Top TPLF leaders have yet to be captured according to Ethiopia Defense Force information
borkena
January 1, 2021
The Ethiopian Defense Force announced on Friday about the leaders of the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) who were killed during the police operation.
One of those killed in action is said to be Colonel Yemane Gebremiechael, who, based on the Ethiopian government’s position, is believed to be behind the Maikadra massacre in early November 2020.
The former Minister of State of the Ministry of Transport, Mulu GebreEgziabhier, is one of the leaders who were taken captive during the operation.
Brig. General Tesfaye Ayalew, head of the deployment department within the defense force, told the Ethiopian News Agency (ENA) that there was a joint operation by the Ethiopian Defense Force and the federal police to capture the leaders of the TPLF. Some are captured alive while those who resisted were killed in action.
However, there are TPLF leaders who have not yet been captured or confirmed as dead. The joint operation between the Defense Force and the Federal Police continues to carry out the operation to hunt them down.
According to Brig. General Tesfaye, some military and political leaders of the TPLF were captured in a monastic community in northern Ethiopia disguising themselves as monks. Others were found in a cave.
High-ranking military officers who deserted the army to fight on the side of the TPLF were killed after they refused an offer to surrender during the search operation, General Tesfaye added.
Military officers killed in action:
Colonel Alem Gebremedhin, Colonel Benyan Gebremedhin, Colonel Ambaye, Colonel Maesho, Colonel Yirga Seyoum, Colonel Hadush, Colonel Atsbeha, Colonel Tesfaye Gebremedhin, Colonel Yohannes Kalayu, Colonel Tekle Egziabher and Let. Colonel Berhane Tola
Captured:
Hadush Zewge Gezahegne (head of the region’s audit office)
Solomon Hiluf Nigussie (Head of Development Training Office)
Kidanemariam Gebrekirstos (Attorney General of the region)
Bahita Woldemichael (head of the education office)
Hagos Woldekidan Gebremariam, (Coordinator of the development plan in the Office of the Economy plan)
Gebreamlak Yihebyo (Faculty of Mekelle University)
Additionally, the Ethiopian Defense Force announced that an unspecified number of special forces and militias from the Tigray region surrendered to government forces.
Furthermore, the Ethiopian Defense said that “some TPLF leaders who died in action were buried after their heads were decapitated” to avoid public disclosure of their identities.
The whereabouts of key TPLF leaders, including Debretsion Gebremichael, Getachew Reda, Seyoum Mesfin, Alem Gebrewahid and Abay Tsehaye (among others), have yet to be established.
About a week ago, Getachew Reda tweeted, presumably somewhere in the Tigray region, that he is alive.
Ethiopia last month offered a 10 million birr reward for information leading to the capture of TPLF leaders.
Those captured are expected to provide a reliable clue.
Join the conversation. Like borkena on Facebook and get regular updates from Ethiopian News. Also, you can receive news from Ethiopia by following us on Twitter @zborkena
[ad_2]
