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The fighting in Tigray province, in northern Ethiopia, lasts a month. Thousands of people are believed to have died and tens of thousands have fled to neighboring Sudan.
On one side of the conflict is the “Tigrean People’s Liberation Front”, TPLF, which wants more self-determination. The movement ruled Ethiopia for 27 years, between 1991 and 2018.
On the other side is the government and Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed.
When Abiy Ahmed came to power in 2018, the TPLF felt marginalized. The leaders of the movement were fired and accused of corruption. They withdrew to their home province of Tigray in the north.
After a long period of tension, he broke out into war in early November.
TPLF has its own army, many weapons and great experience in warfare. Also, they are very confident in themselves because it was the TPLF that overthrew the dictator Mengistu. They seem to be convinced that they are strong enough to take on the entire Ethiopian army.
But Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, who received the Nobel Peace Prize in 2019, has been adamant in his rhetoric and actions. He says he does not want to negotiate until the TPLF is defeated and disarmed.
Announced operation completed
After several weeks of fierce fighting, government forces captured the provincial capital of Tigray, Mekele, last weekend, and Prime Minister Abiy announced that the operation was now complete.
In Tigray, the telephone and the Internet have been completely turned off. In some places it will work again, but it is still difficult to know exactly what is happening in the region.
But according to the information that has come out, the fighting continues in various places in the province. And refugees keep coming to Sudan.
When the rebels lost control of the provincial capital, they took refuge in the countryside and in the mountains.
TPLF doesn’t give up
According to TPLF leader Debretsion Gebremichael, the group will not give up. He says his forces will continue to fight for his right to self-determination.
The TPLF is now likely to continue waging a guerrilla war against the central government.
The “Tigranian People’s Liberation Front” has a long experience in guerrilla warfare during the 1980s when they fought against the Marxist government. Then as now, they can take advantage of the inaccessible terrain with mountains and ravines, where only those with local knowledge can find.
The war in Tigray can go on for a long time.
