Ethiopia’s Tigray crisis: Ethiopian troops will ‘surround and bombard’ the city of Tigray

The Ethiopian army has told residents of the northern Tigray region to “save themselves” as government troops advance towards the capital, Mekelle.

The army plans to surround the city, home to 500,000 people, with tanks and artillery fire, Colonel Dejene Tsegaye, a military spokesman, told state television.

“Get rid of the board … there will be no mercy,” he said.

The Tigray Popular Liberation Front (TPLF), which controls the mountainous region, has pledged to continue fighting.

TPLF leader Debretsion Gebremichael told the Reuters news agency that his forces had managed to stop the advance of federal troops.

“On the southern front, they couldn’t move an inch for more than a week. [are] sending wave after wave, but to no avail, “he added.

The government said its troops seized some key cities last week.

However, the information is difficult to confirm and the claims cannot be independently verified because the telephone and Internet connections have been inactive since the beginning of the conflict.

The conflict has reportedly killed hundreds and thousands of displaced people in recent weeks. The UN has warned that it could trigger a humanitarian crisis.

On Friday, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, in his capacity as president of the African Union, announced the appointment of three former presidents to lead talks to end the conflict.

But Ethiopia has rejected the offer because it views the operation as an internal “law enforcement” mission.

“We do not negotiate with criminals … We bring them to justice, not to the negotiating table,” Mamo Mihretu, a top aide to Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, told the BBC.

The conflict is rooted in a long-standing tension between the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF), the powerful regional party, and Ethiopia’s central government.

When Abiy postponed a national election due to the coronavirus in June, tensions rose. The TPLF considers the central government illegitimate, arguing that Abiy no longer has a mandate.

On November 4, the Ethiopian prime minister announced an operation against the TPLF, accusing his forces of attacking the army’s northern command headquarters in Mekelle.

TPLF has rejected the claims.

Its fighters, mostly from a paramilitary unit and a well-trained local militia, are believed to number 250,000.

“Our African brothers and sisters would play a bigger role if they pressured TPLF to surrender and for that, you know, no one needs to go to Tigray or Mekelle to make that point clear to them,” Mamo said.

He said the former leaders of Mozambique, Liberia and South Africa, who are due to arrive in the country in the next few days, will not be able to visit Tigray due to the ongoing military operation.

Communication and transport services have been severely hampered since fighting broke out.

Mr. Mamo added that the government was doing “everything possible” to allow UN agencies to provide assistance to the people in Tigray.

Aid agencies have no access to the conflict zone, but fear that thousands of civilians have died since fighting broke out in early November.

At least 33,000 refugees have already crossed into Sudan. The UN refugee agency has said it is preparing for up to 200,000 people to arrive over the next six months if the fighting continues.

On Friday, the TPLF was charged with firing rockets at the city of Bahir Dar in the neighboring Amhara region. The Amhara government said there were no casualties or damages caused.

But the reported incident in Amhara, which has a long-running border dispute with Tigray, has raised concerns that the conflict could escalate into a broader war after regional forces were dispatched to support federal troops.

Meanwhile, the UN has raised concerns about the influx of refugees into Sudan, which it says could destabilize a nation that already supports a million people displaced from other African countries.

Many of the refugees arriving in Sudan are believed to be children. Aid agencies say an immediate ceasefire would allow them to help thousands of civilians still trapped inside Ethiopia.

Aid agencies are requesting $ 50 million (£ 38 million) for food and shelter for the newcomers.

1. The Kingdom of Aksum focused on the region. Described as one of the greatest civilizations in the ancient world, it was once the most powerful state between the Roman and Persian empires.

2. The ruins of the city of Aksum are a UN World Heritage Site. The site, which dates back to between the 1st and 13th centuries AD, features obelisks, castles, royal tombs and a church that, according to some, houses the Ark of the Covenant.

3. Most of the people in Tigray are Ethiopian Orthodox Christians. The Christian roots of the region go back 1,600 years.

4. The main language of the region is Tigrinya., a Semitic dialect with at least seven million speakers worldwide.

5. Sesame is an important cash crop, exported to the USA, China and other countries.