MOGADISHU (Somaliguardian) – Ethiopia Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed ordered the country’s defense forces to launch major offensive on Tigray region after the Tigray People’s Liberation Front, in his words, “crossed the last red line”.
Mr Ahmed said TPLF troops attacked Ethiopia defense forces base in the Tigray region in a bid to “rob the northern command” of artillery and other military equipment.
Gunfire was heard in Mekelle hours before the Prime Minister’s announcement, the capital of Ethiopia’s Tigray region. Internet and telephony outages have been reported from the restive state shortly after a major military operation swung into action.
There have been reports of unusual military movement in the areas surrounding Mekelle where fighting broke out in the early hours of Wednesday between Ethiopia’s defense forces and TPLF fighters.
The Prime Minister highlighted that the military operation was ordered to “save the country” from plunging into instability amidst political crisis spiraling out of control and urged citizens to observe calm in case they meet disturbing incidents and stand by the armed forces.
The 2019 Nobel Peace Prize winner, Abiy Ahmed reiterated that war has been deemed inevitable since his efforts – to maintain a policy of extreme patience and caution to avoid engagement against the TPLF – came to abysmal failure.
Escalation of military activities in Ethiopia have been reported in recent weeks with troops moved from major military bases across the country to launch massive onslaught on the Tigrean administration that continuously ignored Abiy’s calls not to rush to elections, after parliament had voted to allow the Prime Minister to serve beyond his term.
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