Nairobi, Kenya (AP) – The leader of Ethiopia’s rebel Tigre region has confirmed the launch of missiles at neighboring Eritrea’s capital and is making further threats, a major increase in deadly fighting in northern Ethiopia between the Tigre military and the federal government. .
In a phone interview with The Associated Press on Sunday, Tigre’s regional president, Debrecen Gabremischel, did not say how many missiles were fired at the city of Asmara on Saturday, but said it was the only Eritrean city targeted.
“As long as the troops are fighting, we will take any legitimate military target and we will fire,” he said, dismissing reports that Eritrea had sent troops into the Tigris region and that Tigris regional forces had entered Eritrea.
“We will fight on all fronts with whatever means they have,” he said. He insisted that about 16 Eritrean divisions were fighting in what he called a “full-blown war.”
The ensuing civil war in Ethiopia between a regional government that once dominated the country’s ruling coalition, and the Nobel Peace Prize-winning Prime Minister, whose revised reforms marginalized the power of the Tigris region, could destabilize U.S. security allies and destabilize Africa. Will be able to. , With the prospect of sending thousands of refugees to Sudan.
At least three rockets appeared to be aimed at the airport In Asmara, the regional government of Tigre warned that it could be attacked. It accused Eritrea of attacking at the invitation of the Ethiopian government after clashes erupted in the Tigris region on November 4. On November 4, the federal military base there was attacked by regional forces.
In a security alert, U.S. forces in Eritrea The embassy said “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 near Asmara International Airport.” There is no sign of the airport being hit. “
The Tigre regional leader would not say how many missiles remain at the disposal of his forces but said, “We have a lot. We can use it selectively, anywhere. “When asked about targeting the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa, he replied:” I don’t want to tell you, but the missiles are also long-range. “
Eritrean officials did not respond to requests for comment.
Ethiopian Prime Minister Abi Ahmed declared in a brief statement that “Ethiopia itself is capable of achieving the objectives of the operation.” He did not mention missiles or Eritrea, but added: “Justice will prevail. Ethiopia will win! ”
The Tigers leader said he had no contact with Ethiopia’s 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 he has. He called it a “really messy situation” that needed international intervention. “
Tigre’s heavily armed regional government collapsed Ethiopia’s ruling coalition last year, and it has objected to postponing national elections until next year, which would prolong Abia’s rule. Regional elections were held in September in defamation.
Each side denounces the other as illegal, and the federal government says members of the Tigre region’s ruling “group” must be arrested and their arsenal destroyed. Abijah calls it “law enforcement action” while his military officers call it war.
The Tigre leader told the AP that he did not have many people killed in the fighting, but he said, “There is a very large-scale displacement. The combat is all attacking, in addition to air strikes. He added, “We have to defend ourselves, you know?”
The Tigre region is comprised of Ethiopian forces, Eritrea and Sudan, which have closed its borders, but allow refugees.
The Tigre leader said his government, the Tigre People’s Liberation Front, had no communication channel with Eritrea even before the conflict. There are differences between the two sides after a long and deadly border war, which ended after Abiya took power in 2018.
Abi has rejected international requests for immediate de-escalation, as his government refuses to consider him as an entity to negotiate with the TPLF.
Getachu Redda, another senior TPLF official, insisted on social media that the Ethiopian prime minister was now preparing to support a UAE drone based in Asab (Eritrean city) in a devastating war against the Tigris people. “He offered no evidence.
UAE officials did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Over the years the UAE has built a military presence in the port of Asab and a once abandoned airfield in Eritrea, but has reportedly withdrawn its troops from Yemen after largely withdrawing from the Saudi-led war. This year, satellite photos of the airfield show attack helicopters, transport planes and other aircraft.
The United Nations and others have warned of a humanitarian catastrophe in a growing conflict of about 25,000 Ethiopians. Hungry and frightened refugees have fled the Tigre region in Sugan. Communications and transport links with the Tigris region are almost completely severed and millions are at risk as food, fuel and other supplies run low.
Above the Sudanese border, about half of the children-refugees were hiding in makeshift tents of sheets, even umbrellas, as officers rushed to a remote area to arrange aid and more arrivals were on their way.
Jens Hessman, with the UN refugee agency, said in the town of Hamdayet that he described the community as a liberal but “very burdensome” community, “the current situation is very bad.”
“The war is meaningless,” said Fabrik Tesaf, a refugee. “This is genocide, I think. This is a genocide to destroy the Tigre and Tigre people. ”
Shaken, described being under attack even when they fled.
“Like this, Tigre will all be killed,” said another refugee, Alem Gabriel. “(Eritrean) President Isaiah Afwarki also attacked us, hit us in the Al-Hamra area, we went to the river and we attacked there, and some people died, and others were swept away in Sudan.”
A woman lamented that her son had died in the crash.
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Contributed by John Gambrell, Associated Press Writer in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
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