Ethiopia's Government and the TPLF Leadership Are Not Morally Equivalent
The leaders of the Tigray People’s Liberation Front are seeking to manipulate the international community into backing a power-sharing deal that grants it impunity for past crimes and gives it far more future influence over the country than it deserves. Most Ethiopia analysts or so-called experts on the Horn of Africa are busy these days preaching the need for an all-inclusive national dialogue. They’re also calling for an immediate cessation of hostilities in the conflict be
Ethiopia's Tigray crisis: Fact-checking misleading images
By Peter Mwai BBC Reality Check Hundreds of people are reported to have been killed in two weeks of clashes between the Ethiopian military and forces loyal to the political leadership in the northern Tigray region. A video appearing to show an Ethiopian military plane being fired on and then crashing has been widely shared with the claim it was carrying out an attack on the Tigray region. But this footage is not real, and is from a recording of a military video simulation gam
Ethiopia Tigray crisis: Government forces 'march on capital'
Ethiopia's prime minister has said that his army is advancing on the capital of the northern region of Tigray where soldiers from the region are fighting the central government. The government accused Tigray's forces of destroying bridges near the city of Mekelle to halt the advance. Hundreds of people have reportedly died in nearly two weeks of clashes. Verifying information from Tigray is hard due to a blackout on most communications. Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed suggested on
Ethiopians on streets to hail armed forces
Prime Minister Abiy says army is ready to launch final assault in Tigray region, as surrender ultimatum expires Ethiopians on Tuesday hailed their armed forces for fighting in northernmost Tigray province. On Nov. 4, Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed ordered a military campaign against Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF), the ruling group in the Tigray province for defying federal authorities and also attacking a military camp in the provincial capital Mekele, killing n
Ethiopia sets conditions for peace talks with Tigray
Redwan Hussein, State Minister for Foreign Affairs and spokesperson for the newly established State of Emergency task force, gestures during a press briefing on the current situation of the country at the Prime Minister office in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia November 4, 2020. REUTERS/Tiksa Negeri NAIROBI (Reuters) - Ethiopia said on Tuesday that peace talks are only possible with Tigray’s local government if military hardware is destroyed, federal officials are released from custody
Ethiopian military declares it is 'at war' with Tigray leaders
Fears of civil conflict as air raids and artillery battles reported in TPLF and federal government standoff Ethiopia’s military has said it is “at war” with the ruling party of the country’s northern Tigray region, amid unconfirmed reports of fighting, artillery duels and air raids. There appears little hope of averting conflict in Africa’s second most populous country, with senior officials on both sides apparently determined to seek military advantage before any negotiation
Tigray crisis: Ethiopia PM Abiy Ahmed orders military response to 'attack'
Ethiopia's Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed has ordered a military offensive to subdue the authorities in Tigray state, following an alleged attack on an army base. The attack resulted in "many martyrs, injuries and property damage", he said in a TV address. He also said the group "tried to loot" military assets. Details of the attack could not be immediately verified. Tensions between the government and TPLF have escalated in recent months, with both sides accusing the other of plo
Survivors count 54 dead after Ethiopia massacre, group says
ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia (AP) — Amnesty International says survivors of a massacre by rebels in western Ethiopia on Sunday counted 54 bodies in a schoolyard, the latest attack in which members of ethnic minorities have been deliberately targeted. Human rights groups are asking why federal soldiers left the area just hours before attackers moved in. Ethiopia's government has blamed a rebel group, the Oromo Liberation Army. The head of the Oromia region police commission told the
Ethiopia’s Tigray blocks general’s appointment in blow to Abiy
A senior official with Tigray People’s Liberation Front, the regional governing party, says Abiy has no mandate to decide appointments, troops’ movement. A brigadier general has been blocked from taking up a posting in Ethiopia’s northern Tigray region, an official said on Friday, escalating a dispute between the region and Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s government that analysts warn could turn violent. The military officer flew on Thursday from the capital Addis Ababa to Tigray
