The Ethiopian military on Monday captured the Tigrayan town of Shire from the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) after launching a heavy offensive against the rebels. The government said the military action is in retaliation to the “full-fledged attack” launched by the TPLF in August.
Sources in Tigray told the Associated Press that the Ethiopian military launched an operation to take control of the town last week. On Friday, the Ethiopian military launched an airstrike in the town of Shire in northern Tigray, killing three people, including an International Rescue Committee (IRC) aid worker. The IRC said in a statement that the airstrike had injured another aid worker and three civilians.
The government did not directly mention that its forces had captured Shire. However, a statement released by the government communication service said the military had taken “defensive measures” to “safeguard the sovereignty and territorial integrity” of Ethiopia. “These measures are necessitated not only by the repeated attacks of the TPLF but also by its active collusion with hostile foreign powers,” the statement noted without naming the foreign actors.
A Statement by Government Communication Service concerning defensive measures in Northern Ethiopia pic.twitter.com/oL2cSHbRuA
— FDRE Government Communication Service (@FdreService) October 17, 2022
“It is thus imperative that the government assumes immediate control of all airports, other federal facilities, and installations” in Tigray, it stressed. The government justified this move by saying that it was necessary to protect Ethiopia’s airspace.
The government vowed to respect all international laws regarding combat operations and prevent civilian casualties. Furthermore, it affirmed that it would “work closely with humanitarian operators” to ensure their safety and allow humanitarian access. The statement also urged aid workers to “distance themselves from the TPLF,” saying that the rebels are known for “using civilians as human shields.”
Following the news of Shire’s capture, United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres said the situation in Ethiopia “is spiralling out of control.” He noted that “violence and destruction have reached alarming levels” and that Ethiopia’s “social fabric is being ripped apart.”
The #TPLF is solely responsible for the current situation in northern #Ethiopia as it intentionally reignited the war for the third consecutive time in a row! If given the time and space, it will do this again.
— MFA Ethiopia🇪🇹 (@mfaethiopia) October 18, 2022
Accordingly, he demanded that the Ethiopian government end the conflict and withdraw its troops and Eritrean forces from the region. Saying that civilians are paying a “horrific price,” Guterres insisted that “there is no military solution to the conflict” and urged all parties to “adhere to their obligations under international humanitarian law.”
Guterres noted that “deliveries of aid into Tigray have been suspended for more than seven weeks, and assistance to Amhara and Afar has also been disrupted.” “All parties must allow and facilitate the rapid and unimpeded passage of humanitarian relief for all civilians in need,” he said.
However, Addis Ababa said Guterres’ comments were “unwarranted” and “overly exaggerated.” Ethiopian ambassador to the UN Taye Atske Selassie said the Secretary-General’s statement does reflect the ground reality and “undermines the African Union-led peace efforts, a reference to the AU’s willingness to mediate peace talks in South Africa.
It is sad to see unwarranted statements by some “members of Int’l Com.”, int’l & regional orgs & media, & unabashedly turning a blind eye to TPLF’s three attacks on Amhara & Afar regions ensuing deaths & displacements of tens of thousands. They all owe #Ethiopia a major apology!
— Fitsum Arega (@fitsumaregaa) October 18, 2022
Earlier this month, the Ethiopian government and the TPLF agreed to attend AU-led negotiations in South Africa. However, the two sides rejected peace talks on the eve of the negotiations after Addis Ababa and the TPLF accused each other of escalating the conflict.
In August, large-scale fighting resumed between Tigrayan militants and government forces, breaking a months-long period of relative calm in the region. The conflict has continued to escalate since then, with the Ethiopian military launching several airstrikes on Tigray, including the regional capital Mekelle, killing scores of civilians. Furthermore, according to several reports, the TPLF has committed atrocities against civilians and killed people suspected of cooperating with the government.
Efforts to bring both sides to the negotiating table have been further complicated by the involvement of Eritrean troops. The TPLF has accused the Eritrean military of partnering with Ethiopian forces in the renewed fighting.