War in Tigray intensifies, government stay muted on crimes

Tigray– Use of weapons and air offense is increasing and growing intense by each day in Ethiopia’s northern Tigray. Sensing the possibility of a fresh attack, the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) says the fighting began with airstrikes launched by the federal government last week. 

Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed has not acknowledged the offensive yet rather he released an official statement stating that their government takes complete responsibility to protect its citizens in all parts of the country from any acts of terrorism.

A US-based analyst Faisal Roble, says that spending on the war effort “has really negatively impacted Ethiopia’s capacity to access dollars”, and has caused the exchange rate to deteriorate. It is not clear how much the war has a cost but Trading Economics forecasts military expenditure will reach $502m by the end of the year, up from $460m last year.

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• War in Tigray intensifies, government stay muted on crimes

Shockingly, Eritrean soldiers and Tigrayan militias raped, detained, and killed Eritrean refugees in Tigray in attacks that amounted to clear war crimes. Seeming like no end to the suffering, war is growing more intense and dirty.

A leader from the TPLF asserted that formal, uniformed Tigrayan forces had only recently moved into the area and that it was possible abuses were committed by local militias. It is mostly the last month or so that our forces moved into those areas.

The government, however, clarified that they do not target civilians, and the alleged artillery attack is yet another accusation to tarnish our forces’ reputation. He added that the TPLF’s current military objective is to push back the offensive and go as far as it takes to break the siege on the people of Tigray.