Addis Ababa July 24, 2021 (Walta) – Ethiopia’s Afar region called Friday on civilians to take up arms against rebels from neighbouring Tigray, signalling a potential escalation in fighting that has already displaced tens of thousands this week.
“Every Afar should protect their land with any means available, whether by guns, sticks or stones,” regional president Awol Arba said in an interview aired by regional state media.
“No weapons can make us kneel down. We will win this war with our strong determination,” he sad.
The group designated by Ethiopian House of Peolples’ Representative as terrorist,Tigray Peoples Libration Front (TPLF), launched operations in Afar last weekend, saying they were targeting pro-government troops massing along the two regions’ shared border.
A government official told AFP Thursday that more than 20 civilians had been killed and 70,000 people displaced in “heavy fighting” in Afar that was continuing.
The terrorist group spokesman, Getachew Reda, has described the terrorist act in Afar as a “very limited” action against Special Forces and militia fighters deployed to Afar by the Oromia Regional State.
But Awol said Friday that claim was misleading.
“Some people think they invaded us because we hosted the Oromo forces, but that’s far from the truth, as they had the intention to separate and isolate us from Ethiopia by force,” he said.
“It’s time that every Afar should stand as one against the junta,” he added, using government officials’ preferred term for the group designated as terrorist.
The fighting in Afar highlights the potential for Ethiopia’s eight-month-old conflict to expand well beyond Tigray.
The Federal Government of Ethiopia sent troops into Tigray last November to oust TPLF, in response to TPLF attacks on federal army camps through out the region.
Though operation lasted only for three weeks, TPLF leaders who were wanted by court of law remained on the run and fighting dragged follwing attempt capture them.
Last month the war took a stunning turn when the federal government forces declare unilateral ceasefire and withdraw its forces from the region.
Yet clashes have continued and officials from six regions and the city of Dire Dawa have since said they would send troops to back up government forces.
The recent fighting has put a halt to convoys, and the UN humanitarian coordination office said Friday the route remained impassable, “preventing food stock, fuel and other humanitarian goods from entering Tigray.”
(Source: AFP)