Africa-Press-Ethiopia<\/p>\n
Across Tigray Region, sporadic fighting and looting continues, while 4.5 million people remain dependent on humanitarian assistance says the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs and Ethiopia\u2019s Human Right Commission.<\/p>\n
After nearly two and half months without adequate access to food, water and health services during the intense fighting, both bodies warn of a worsening humanitarian situation. Against this backdrop, members of the region\u2019s ruling party, the Tigray People\u2019s Liberation Front (TPLF) continue to be tracked and arrested by the central government authorities.<\/p>\n
The TPLF and the Ethiopian government are at war over the region\u2019s attempts to delegitimise the government of Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed.<\/p>\n
After the Ethiopian National Defence Force (ENDF) seized the Tigray regional capital Mekele on 28 November, Prime Minister Abiy declared the military operation \u201dhas been completed and ceased\u201d.<\/p>\n
READ MORE Did Ethiopia\u2019s attack on Tigray violate international laws?<\/p>\n
Since then, the ENDF has rapidly taken control of territory, while many senior TPLF leaders are nowhere to be found. Since issuing arrest warrants against more than 60 of its prominent members, Addis Ababa says it has made significant progress in taking them into custody in the past few weeks.<\/p>\n
Hunting the TPLF
\n\u201cThe ENDF and federal police were tracking the junta forces hidden in natural (mountains, caves) and man-made refuges (monasteries, villagers\u2019 homes). Many were killed and many were arrested amongst the [TPLF] leadership. [\u2026] Because many refused to surrender, action had to be taken\u201d said Brigadier General Tesfaye Ayalew of the ENDF.<\/p>\n
Sebhat Nega, a founding member of the TPLF and often described as its \u201cideologue\u201d was amongst those captured on 9 January. He is the first high-profile arrest. An additional 12 other officials were also taken into custody.<\/p>\n
Seyoum Mesfin, a former foreign minister,
\nAbay Tsehaye, a former federal affairs minister
\nAnd Asmelash Woldeselassie, an ex-parliamentary chief whip.
\n\u2018Ruled for 27 years\u2019
\nThe TPLF ruled for 27 years as the core party inside the Ethiopian People\u2019s Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF) coalition. After 17 years of guerrilla warfare, in 1991 it overthrew the Derg \u2013 the military junta that abolished the monarchy in 1974.<\/p>\n
READ MORE Ethiopia \u2013 Tigray: Ethiopians fear a full-fledged war \u2018like the old days\u2019<\/p>\n
Although nearly 60% of Ethiopians were not born when the TPLF was founded in the Dedebit desert in 1975, there is a sense of d\u00e9j\u00e0-vu. As happened 45 years earlier, the surviving founders of the TPLF have regrouped in the northern mountains, just a few kilometres from where it all began.<\/p>\n
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Africa-Press-Ethiopia Across Tigray Region, sporadic fighting and looting continues, while 4.5 million people remain dependent on humanitarian assistance says the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs and Ethiopia\u2019s Human Right Commission. After nearly two and half months without adequate access to food, water and health services during the intense fighting, both bodies […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":84,"featured_media":1915,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2,6],"tags":[297],"class_list":["post-1911","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-all-news","category-files","tag-ethiopian-national-defence-force"],"yoast_head":"\n