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Our correspondent reported that the Ethiopian army announced its entry into the city of Mikkeli, after battles that lasted a whole day.
Abi Ahmed said that after battles fought on Saturday, army forces managed to enter the capital of Tigray, “without targeting innocent civilians.”
In a statement broadcast on state television, he said the army had managed to enter Mekele after “great cooperation from city residents.”
For his part, the Chief of Staff of the Ethiopian Army, General Berhanu Gula, announced that the army had taken control of Mikeli “completely”, noting that the army is currently persecuting the leaders and forces of the Tigray Liberation Front. .
He added that “the army took full control of the northern command, which the front forces attacked earlier this month,” and noted that the army carried out “with all responsibility and precision to avoid danger to civilians and innocents, and preserve the historical legacy of the region. “
Earlier on Saturday, the head of the Ethiopian Defense Forces training unit, Lt. General Hassan Ibrahim, said that federal forces had taken control of the town of Wagro, 50 km north of Mikeli, and it indicated that they would control the capital “in a few days”.
He added that government forces also took control of several other cities, according to Reuters.
The government gave the Tigray People’s Liberation Front last Sunday to lay down their arms or face an attack on Mikkeli, which has a population of 500,000. This period expired last Wednesday.
Ahmed, who announced Thursday that the army had started the “final phase” of the offensive, told African peace envoys on Friday that his government would protect civilians in Tigray.
