7 hours ago
Fighting erupted around the city of Kobo in northern Ethiopia today, Wednesday, between forces affiliated with the Tigray People’s Liberation Front on one hand, and government forces on the other, ending a truce that has held for nearly five months.
The Ethiopian Air Force said it shot down a plane carrying weapons for the Tigray Front, following it entered the country’s airspace from Sudan.
The Ethiopian Air Force added that the plane belonged to what it described as the historical enemies of Ethiopia.
The Tigray Liberation Front described the Ethiopian Air Force statement as a “blatant lie”.
The renewed fighting is a major blow to hopes for peace talks between Abi Ahmed’s government and the Tigray Liberation Front, which controls the northern region.
Both sides blame each other for the renewed fighting. A statement by the state-run National Communications Company stated that, “At five o’clock this morning, forces from the Tigray Front launched an extensive attack on the eastern front, from the direction of Bisober, Zobel, and Tekulchi. Thus, the Tigray Front violated the armistice.”
On the other hand, the leadership of the Tigray Liberation Front forces accused the government of violating the ceasefire, saying in a statement that it believed that the southern offensive was a diversion and that the LTTE forces expected a major attack from the west.
Three residents of the area reported hearing huge explosions since the early morning hours. Witnesses said that the past two days witnessed the movements of Ethiopian soldiers, special forces from Amhara, and volunteers from the Fano militia. They added that they did not know which side started the fighting.
It is impossible to determine the status of the forces of the Tigray Front, especially in light of the interruption of telephone communications within the region for more than a year.
The fighting in Africa’s second most populous country has displaced millions, killed thousands of civilians, and left parts of Tigray famine.
And the United Nations World Food Program said last week that regarding half of the population of Tigray province suffers from severe food shortages.
The war broke out in Tigray in November 2020 before spreading to the neighboring Afar and Amhara regions last year.
Last November, the Tigray Front forces advanced towards the central capital, Addis Ababa, but were forced back by government forces.
After 21 months of brutal fighting, a ceasefire was declared between the two sides in March. In June, Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed set up a negotiating committee with the Tigray Front.
Earlier this month, the government said it wanted talks “without preconditions”. The Tigray regional government had demanded the restoration of services provided to civilians before the talks began.
