The Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) on Monday claimed that Eritrea has launched an “extensive operation” in Tigray in collaboration with the Ethiopian military.
“The collaborative invaders [Eritrea and the Ethiopian government] launched an extensive offensive in the direction of the Northeast, namely, on the Rama, Zalambessa and Tserona fronts,” the Central Command of the Tigrayan forces announced. It said the action is an escalation and “an extension of the massive war launched over 40 days ago.”
“These barbaric invaders have inflicted extensive damage on peaceful civilians and property through a barrage of indiscriminate artillery bombardments against Tigrayans,” the statement noted. To this end, the TPLF said it has mobilised the people of Tigray and is defending the region against the “fascistic” forces of Eritrean President Isaias Afwerki and Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed.
“Our archenemies have launched this invasion to wipe the people of Tigray off the face of the earth and inflict whatever destruction they can by coordinating and mobilising their combined capabilities,” it asserted. The group thus urged Tigrayans to “stand shoulder to shoulder with their Army and further intensify their campaign of self-defence.”
#Eritrean Army and #AbiyAhmed’s forces under its command have as of this morning deployed tens of thousands of forces and mechanized units in #Rama, #Tserona & #Zalambessa fronts in their renewed round of full scale offensive. #TigrayWillPrevail!
— Getachew K Reda (@reda_getachew) October 9, 2022
The claims of the TPLF have not been verified, and the Ethiopian and Eritrean governments have not released any official statements. However, the Associated Press (AP) reported that communications to the areas where Eritrean forces are allegedly shelling are down.
Witnesses also told AP that intense fighting had broken out along Ethiopia’s border with Eritrea. “Many civilians were killed, and major buildings and infrastructure destroyed, mainly by heavy weapons fired from the Eritrean side,” an aid worker in Tigray told the news agency.
Ethiopia Sends Tanks and Heavy Artillery to Eritrea
— Yonas Nigussie (@Yonigussie) October 10, 2022
BREAKING: #Ethiopia sent 25 T-55 tanks and other heavy artillery via Diche Oto, Afar, to #Eritrea. This comes as Eritrean and Ethiopian forces launch a full-scale offensive in Northeastern #Tigray: Tserona, Rama and Zelambessa. pic.twitter.com/YeyuG00tqx
It is not clear how many people have died so far.
For weeks, multiple reports have warned that Eritrea has been amassing troops and military equipment near the Tigray border. Last month, United States (US) company Maxar released satellite images showing Eritrean forces mobilising along the border and deploying heavy weaponry and vehicles. The TPLF and the US have also accused Eritrea of sending troops to the border and planning an imminent invasion.
In August, large-scale fighting resumed between Tigrayan militants and government forces, breaking a months-long period of relative calm in the region. The Ethiopian government and the Tigray rebels accused each other of starting hostilities. Fighting has continued to escalate since then, with the Ethiopian military launching several airstrikes in Tigray, including the regional capital Mekelle, and killing scores of civilians.
The Guardian has reported that the TPLF has also committed atrocities against civilians in the neighbouring Amhara region. Survivors have told the newspaper that Tigrayan rebels tortured and killed anyone suspected of cooperating with the Ethiopian government.
It’s important to highlight the injustices women are facing in Tigray, Ethiopia.
— Goodluck קהלת ג, א-ח (@RealHauleGluck) October 10, 2022
Just imagine in Tigray region of Ethiopia, women are forced to choose between death or rape by invading soldiers of #Eritrea #Ethiopian federal forces and allied militias. #JusticeForTigrayWomen
Moreover, efforts to bring both sides to the negotiation table have failed. Last week, Abiy’s government and the TPLF agreed to attend African Union (AU)-led peace talks in South Africa over the weekend. However, the two sides rejected peace talks on the eve of the negotiations.
The latest offensive has extended the two-year-long war with no end in sight. Ethiopia has been in the middle of a severe humanitarian and political crisis since November 2020, when Abiy ordered a military response to an attack on a federal army camp in Tigray by the TPLF, which was declared a “terrorist” organisation by the Ethiopian parliament last year. The fighting quickly boiled over into a full-scale armed invasion by Ethiopian troops, who partnered with Eritrean soldiers in their operation.
The conflict in Tigray has killed tens of thousands of people, displaced over two million, and witnessed grave human rights violations, including mass killings, rapes, and deliberate starvation. The Ethiopian and Eritrean governments and the TPLF have all been accused of committing grave atrocities.