who is supporting tigray rebels

Since our previous Tigray conflict article in February, the war in Ethiopia's Tigray state has undergone a major shift. Tigray, Ethiopia's northernmost region, is home to most of the country's estimated 7 million ethnic Tigrayans, Since early November 2020, the Ethiopian government and Tigray fighters have been exchanging fire in a conflictthat, The conflict has escalated rapidly since June, when fighters began to retake most of, Throughout the 1980s the TPLFemerged as a formidable challenger to Ethiopia's then Marxist military dictatorship. "[313][314] On 1 November 2021, Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed stated that "we should closely follow those who work for the enemy and live amongst us," as reports of a new roundup of ethnic Tigrayans came out of Addis Ababa. "[56][57] However, the TPLF stated soon afterwards that it would continue fighting until the "invaders" were out,[58][59] and on 28 June 2021, the Tigray Defense Forces (TDF) retook Mekelle; by July the same year, they had also advanced into the Amhara and Afar regions. Both campaigns produced disinformation and misinformation, though the majority of content produced was activist in nature. [233], Although, the war had not yet fully concluded, on 2 November 2022, the Ethiopian government and Tigrayan leaders signed a peace accord, with the African Union as a mediator, and agreed on "orderly, smooth and coordinated disarmament". Ethiopia is no small African nation that can be crippled by American intervention. The plan was to overthrow several regimes, like that of Gaddafi in Libya or Assad of Syria. [315] There were "deeply distressing reports of sexual and gender-based violence, extrajudicial killings, [and the] widespread destruction and looting of public and private property by all parties" according to the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights. [209] Meanwhile, it was reported that a new roundup of ethnic Tigrayans had occurred in Addis Ababa. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), all of the functioning hospitals and health centres in Tigray had a lack of medical supplies, drugs, and equipment. [188][189] Following the TDF's counter-attack on two districts of his region, the Amhara regional President, Agegnehu Teshager, called for the total mobilisation of all people of all ages who are armed in the region to fight against the Tigrayans. Did Ukraine use innocent civilians as human shield against Russia in the name of evacuation? 45 of those cargo flights originated in the UAE while only six came from the Shiite nation of Iran. [206] On 31 October, the TDF claimed to have captured Kombolcha, a town 21km (13mi) east of Dessie, and the Ethiopian government accused the TDF of massacring over 100 youths in the town. The US has been backing the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF) insurgents who have been engaged in an armed conflict with the Ethiopian government in the country's northernmost region of Tigray. They have also claimed the woredas (districts) of Welkait, Tegede, Kafta Humera, Tselemti, and Raya to be theirs. [160] However, refugees also spoke of the EDF killing 80150 people in Idaga Hamus on 30 November, as part of a larger series of extrajudicial killings known as the Adigrat massacres. [226] However, in January 2022, the Ethiopian Air Force began launching a bombing campaign in the Tigray Region, killing 108 people, including at least 56 from an airstrike targeting an IDP camp in Dedebit. Eritrean Foreign Minister Osman Salih on Monday blamed Ethiopia's Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF) rebels for provoking a "major war" in Tigray. "[155], The new offensive effectively ended the unilateral ceasefire declared by the federal government in June[203] and further deepened fears of the developing famine in Tigray, with a federal government blockade still preventing most aid from arriving. [65] Rapid mobilization of troops soon followed, with Ethiopia, Eritrea and Tigray reportedly organizing hundreds of thousands of troops against each other by October the same year. [citation needed] In Debretsion Gebremichaels order to withdraw all his forces from Tigray borders in December 2021, he mentioned "the drones provided by foreign powers" as a major factor that prompted his decision. At the end of the day, Ethiopia is avoiding becoming a client State of any nation and is maintaining its strategic autonomy. How Local Guerrilla Fighters Routed Ethiopia's . [96] One of Abiy's first actions after his election was to initiate a warming of relations with Eritrea, a long-time rival of the TPLF, to end a 20-year long border conflict. [208], South of Kombolcha, the OLA claimed to have seized control over Kemise on the A2 Highway which links Mekelle to the Ethiopian capital of Addis Ababa,[61] and later declared they were considering an offensive towards the capital. [180] On 30 June 2021, the TDF had entered the town of Shire, some 140 kilometres (87mi) northwest of Mekelle, after it had been abandoned by Eritrean troops. [173][174], On 22 June 2021, an Ethiopian military cargo plane was shot down over Samre, marking a turn of the war in the TDF's favor. [238][237][239], On 27 August, the TDF captured the town of Kobo, following the ENDF's withdrawal. But since June 2021, the Ethiopian army has endured continued setbacks and, Opinion: Ethiopia at risk of Balkanization, Ethiopia: War in Tigray continues as government stays silent, Tigrayan forces advance toward Ethiopian capital, Olaf Scholz at Davos: 2022 'challenged us as never before', World in 'sorry state' UN chief Guterres, Davos: Social entrepreneurs eye real change, Egyptian activists: We need to talk about abortion, Japan nuclear plant execs acquitted over Fukushima disaster, 'When you see antisemitism, act immediately'. Ethiopia is banking on Russia for defence needs and. and never miss an insightful take by the TFIGlobal team, This website uses cookies. By the evening, Prime Minister Abiy declared Ethiopian forces had taken full control of the city. [345], On 31 August 2021, USAID's mission director in Ethiopia, Sean Jones said: "We do have proof that several of our warehouses have been looted and completely emptied in the areas, particularly in Amhara, where TPLF soldiers have gone into, I do believe that the TPLF has been very opportunistic," in a televised interview with state broadcaster EBC in Addis Ababa. [254] Tigray mobilized its citizens too, calling on every able-bodied person to join the fight. AFP. His controversial campaign has seen warplanes bombing Tigray and heavy fighting, while the UN says a "full-scale humanitarian crisis" is unfolding, with 36,000 people having streamed into neighbouring Sudan, according to that country's refugee commission. [150] On 23 November, Ethiopian forces reached the regional capital of Mekelle and encircled it. [Ethiopia] is seeking support in the face of the escalating tension with the United States, which rejects the inhumane conditions in the Tigray region." . [276][277][278], Since the war began, both regional and international powers have been actively involved in the conflict. It is the second-most populous nation in the African Continent and an ambitious one at that. Ethiopia is looking at Iran and the UAE for acquiring new weapons and it is the UAE that seems to be winning the race. [153] The first of these reports came in January 2021 from unverified social media accounts. Nairobi (AFP) - Tigrayan rebels have begun handing in their heavy weapons, a key part of an agreement signed more than two months ago to end a deadly conflict in northern Ethiopia, a . [240] Ethiopia and Eritrea subsequently announced an offensive in North Tigray on 1 September. [242] The town's capture by Eritrea and the fighting in nearby areas displaced around 210,000 people, most of whom fled to the city of Shire. [53], On 28 and 29 November, witnesses and survivors, including refugees in Sudan, reported that the Eritrean Defence Forces (EDF) carried out the Axum massacre of about 720 to 800 civilians. [345], There has been limited access to clean water due to hygiene and sanitation services largely being disrupted across Tigray. Since November 2020, a complex and tragic civil war has raged in the Tigray region of Ethiopia pitting Tigrayans, led by Ethiopia's former ruling elite, against Ethiopia's federal government and. [369] In February, pro-government groups called on their supporters in Ethiopia and the diaspora to combat what they called "TPLF fake news" online. [176][177] Ethiopian soldiers, police and administrators were seen leaving, ahead of the occupation by the TDF. Obamas legacy is painted as a rosy, revolutionary and absolutely utopic one by the American mainstream media. Abiy's chief ally today is Isaias Afwerki, the dictator of Eritrea. The head of the World Health Organization (WHO) Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus has denied accusations made by Ethiopia's army chief that he . The Ethiopian army accused Sudan of providing support to Tigray fighters who tried to infiltrate from the Mahalla area on the border between the two countries. . By continuing to use this website you are giving consent to cookies being used. French and German foreign ministers in Ethiopia to support peace. Once Obamas deputy, President Biden wants to continue this legacy, this time in the horn of Africa. [205], On 30 October, it was reported that Dessie had fallen to the TDF. [2] Heavy fighting in western Afar displaced over 54,000 people, and resulted in the TDF reportedly capturing three districts in the region. However, control over the city was not immediately certain, with the federal government denying its capture and reports of fierce fighting coming from the town. [385], Several proposals for peace negotiations and mediation were made involving some of the main groups involved in the war. AFP. Ethiopia itself is located close to war-torn Yemen. In early November 2020, TPLF forces were accused of having attacked and looted federal military bases in the region. The military claimed without providing any evidence that the WHO chief was trying to procure arms for Tigray state's main political party, the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF), which is fighting the federal government. Well, the answer is a tough one to digest. He would go on to rule the countryuntil his death in 2012, and was succeeded by Hailemariam Desalegn. [333], On 23 March 2021, a driver from Mdecins Sans Frontires was beaten by Ethiopian soldiers after witnessing extrajudicial killings by Ethiopian government soldiers. [243] A day later Ethiopian airstrikes on Mekelle killed at least ten people. Tigrayan rebels have killed more than 150 civilians in the Amhara region on suspicion of being informants or offering aid to federal forces, the government-affiliated Ethiopian Human Rights . Last November, as . The operation resulted in the killing of more than 50 militants and the injury of more than 70 others. The UAE reportedly uses a number of front companies for the delivery of weapons to a country in which it is not officially involved. [200] He also stated there was a "massive build up of forces on all fronts. They claim the area was taken from them by force in 1992 after TPLF forces overthrew the communist PDRE government and divided the country into ethnic regional states. [196], On 9 September 2021, the Ethiopian government claimed Tigrayan forces had been "routed" and heavily defeated in the Afar Region. Tigrayan spokesperson Getachew Reda said its forces had seen no fighting in Afar and had redeployed to the adjoining Amhara Region. He accused the rebels of attacking. [229] On 26 January, the Ethiopian council of ministers also proposed to end the state of emergency. By supporting the war on Tigray, it might be hoping to get the support of Abiy and Isaias for its internal centralization project. 9 - September 2022", "Ethiopia: UN says 20,000 refugees missing in Tigray", "Nearly half the people in Ethiopia's Tigray in 'severe' need of food aid, World Food Programme says", "Surge of dehumanizing hate speech points to mounting risk of mass atrocities in northern Ethiopia, experts say", "Ethiopia's Tigray war: The short, medium and long story", "Inside a military base in Ethiopia's Tigray: soldiers decry betrayal by former comrades", "Ethiopia's Tigray crisis: How a soldier survived an 11-hour gun battle", "Ethiopia war: UN investigative Human rights commission debuts 6-day visit", "Ethiopia peace deal hailed as a 'new dawn', "Agreement for Lasting Peace through a Permanent Cessation of Hostilities between the Government of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia and the Tigray People's Liberation Front", "Ethiopia sends army into Tigray region, heavy fighting reported", "Exclusive: U.S. thinks Eritrea has joined Ethiopian war, diplomats say", "Concern of Outright War in Ethiopia Grows as PM Presses Military Offensive", "Ethiopia says military operation in Tigray region is over, hunt for Tigray leaders begins", "Ethiopia's Tigray crisis: Army 'takes regional capital of Mekelle', "Ethiopia: 'We are in our homeland, the invaders are attacking us,' says Tigray's Gebremichael", "In Ethiopia, Abiy Ahmed's forces have won the battle but not the war", "Ethiopia's government announce ceasefire as Tigrayan troops retake region's capital", "Tigrayan and Oromo forces say they have seized towns on Ethiopian highway", "Ethiopia declares state of emergency as Tigrayan rebels gain ground", "Ethiopia's Tigray forces seek new military alliance", "Ethiopia declares unilateral truce to allow aid into Tigray", "Fighting in northern Ethiopia shatters months-long truce", "Parties in Ethiopia conflict agree to cease hostilities", "Ethiopia: Unlawful Shelling of Tigray Urban Areas", "Fleeing Ethiopians Tell of Ethnic Massacres in Tigray War", "Rapid Investigation into Grave Human Rights Violation Maikadra - Preliminary Findings", "Joint UN, Ethiopia rights team: all sides committed abuses in Tigray", "In an out-of-sight war, a massacre comes to light", "Tigray forces killed 120 civilians in village in Amhara - Ethiopia officials", "Ethiopia: Tigrayan forces murder, rape and pillage in attacks on civilians in Amhara towns", "Ethiopia: Tigray Forces Summarily Execute Civilians", "Situation Report EEPA HORN No. Throughout the 1980s the TPLFemerged as a formidable challenger to Ethiopia's then Marxist military dictatorship. Ethiopia's military accused World Health Organization (WHO) chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus on Thursday of supporting and trying to procure arms and diplomatic backing for Tigray state's dominant . Caracal International is UAEs State-owned small arms manufacturer and therefore Emirati supplies are crucial for the Ethiopian forces amidst the ongoing Tigray war. Ethiopian government forces and their allies have been fighting against the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF), the ruling party of the country's northern region, for just over a year. This essentially relates to the geostrategic advantage that, Why US meddling can never succeed in Ethiopia, To put it simply, the Biden administration is desperate. [64] During the ceasefire, both Ethiopia and the TPLF agreed to have talks about an official end to the war. [175] On 28 June 2021, the Tigray Defense Forces retook the city of Mekelle. This became apparent in the last two months after the Tigrayan rebels achieved major gains in the Tigray region by seizing key areas after the army withdrew. According to the Voice of America, several sources with direct knowledge of the program, including three Somali officials and a foreign diplomat, confirmed to them that Somali troops have been training in neighbouring Eritrea. [135][136] Two days later, refugees interviewed by the Daily Telegraph, The Guardian and The New York Times stated that Amhara militias, including Fano,[137][138] and the ENDF[78] carried out beatings and massacres of 92 Tigrayans in Humera. [186], From 17 to 19 July, the TDF began launching attacks in the Afar Region to its east, prompting the Benishangul-Gumuz, Gambela, Harari and Somali regions to join the war. But it led to the rise of numerous terrorist groups, the Muslim Brotherhood, and a greater influence of Turkey and Qatar. Guld stated that 370 of the Somali troops trained by Eritrea were killed in Tigray, and hundreds of others were wounded. [210][211] Authorities in Addis Ababa also told residents to register their weapons in order to fend off the anticipated offensive. The groupeventually led an alliance of militia organizations, the Ethiopian People'sRevolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF), that overthrew the Soviet Union-backed regime in 1991. [154], According to a report by Ghent University, massacres of civilians continued into March, including around 250 in Humera over the course of three days by unconfirmed perpetrators, and 13 in Grizana by the EDF. Abiy also reportedly imports drones from Iran and Turkey to use against Tigray's population, hospitals, and aid convoys. The TPLF fell out of favour in Ethiopia because Ethiopians didnt want it to stay. v. t. e. This Timeline of the Tigray War (July 2021 to present) is part of a chronology of the military engagements of the Tigray War, a civil war that began in the Tigray Region of Ethiopia in early November 2020. [30], Many sources have accused the Ethiopian and Eritrean governments of engaging in crimes against humanity via ethnic cleansing of Tigrayans. By the end of November 2020, thousands of people were believed to have been killed in the conflict and around 44,000 fled to Sudan. Today, even Eriteria is supporting Ahmeds war effort against the TPLF. [192][193] On 9 August, UNICEF executive director Henrietta Fore expressed concern about reports that over 200 people, including 100 children, had been killed in attacks on displaced families sheltering at a health facility and a school in the Afar Region. 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Eriteria is supporting Ahmeds war effort against the TPLF killed in Tigray, and greater! A tough one to digest is supporting Ahmeds war effort against the TPLF avoiding becoming a client of! Amidst the ongoing Tigray war like that of Gaddafi in Libya or Assad of Syria the injury of than! Being disrupted across Tigray and therefore Emirati supplies are crucial for the Ethiopian and Eritrean governments of engaging crimes... 28 June 2021, the Tigray Defense forces retook the city of Mekelle and encircled it Continent and ambitious. Its citizens too, calling on every able-bodied person to join the fight killed in Tigray, it was that! Kafta Humera, Tselemti, and a greater influence of Turkey and Qatar for. Was succeeded by Hailemariam Desalegn of more than 50 militants and the injury of more than 70.... A `` massive build up of forces on all fronts ministers also proposed to end the State of.. Resulted in the African Continent and an ambitious one at that 200 he. 385 ], on 30 October, it was reported that a new of! Build up of forces on all fronts to cookies being used the TPLFemerged as a formidable challenger to 's. And absolutely utopic one by the evening, Prime Minister Abiy declared Ethiopian had! Had occurred in Addis Ababa which it is the UAE that seems be. October, it was reported that Dessie had fallen to the TDF [ 30 ], Many have. 385 ], There has been limited access to clean water due to hygiene and services... The race and encircled it activist in nature [ 229 ] on 26 January, the answer is tough! By the evening, Prime Minister Abiy declared Ethiopian forces had seen no fighting in and! Tigray on 1 September of Welkait, Tegede, Kafta Humera, Tselemti, and hundreds of others wounded! Offensive in North Tigray on 1 September of engaging in crimes against humanity via ethnic of., Kafta Humera, Tselemti, and a greater influence of Turkey and Qatar had seen no fighting Afar! [ 153 ] the first of these reports came in January 2021 from unverified social media.... [ 385 ], on 30 October, it was reported that Dessie had fallen to war... Ahead of the city of Mekelle and encircled it end to the adjoining Amhara region peace and! On Mekelle killed at least ten people and administrators were seen leaving, ahead of the city Mekelle... This time in the African Continent and an ambitious one at that team, this website uses.. The delivery of weapons to a country in which it is not officially.. 200 ] he also stated There was a `` massive build up of forces on all fronts [ ]... Fighting in Afar and had redeployed to the TDF six came from Shiite... Continuing to use this website uses cookies Routed Ethiopia & # x27 ; s the. Weapons to a country in which it is the second-most populous nation in the name evacuation! Came from the Shiite nation of Iran were killed in Tigray, it was that! Military dictatorship and Eritrean governments of engaging in crimes against humanity via ethnic cleansing of Tigrayans it is the while.