Tigrayan forces in Ethiopia say Eritrea launches offensive over border

NAIROBI, Sept 20 (Reuters) – Forces in Ethiopia’s Tigray area mentioned troops from neighbouring Eritrea began a full-scale offensive on Tuesday and heavy preventing was going down in a number of areas alongside the border.

Two support staff additionally reported intense preventing alongside the border, together with shelling right into a displaced individuals camp on the outskirts of the village of Ziban Gedena. They didn’t say whether or not Eritrean troops have been on the bottom in Tigray.

If confirmed, the participation of Eritrean troops would mark an escalation in a battle that was reignited final month after the collapse of a ceasefire in place since March.

The U.S. particular envoy for the Horn of Africa, Mike Hammer, mentioned on Tuesday the US was conscious of Eritrean troops crossing into Ethiopia’s Tigray area and condemned it.

Eritrea had withdrawn its troops from most areas in Tigray final yr after they supported the Ethiopean army in earlier phases of a warfare in opposition to Tigrayan forces which erupted in November 2020.

“Eritrea is deploying its complete military in addition to reservists. Our forces are heroically defending their positions,” Getachew Reda, a spokesman for the Tigray Individuals’s Liberation Entrance (TPLF), mentioned on Twitter.

Eritrean Data Minister Yemane Gebremeskel didn’t instantly reply to requests for remark.

Getachew mentioned Ethiopian troops and particular forces from the Amhara area to the south had additionally joined the offensive.

Ethiopian authorities spokesperson Legesse Tulu, army spokesperson Colonel Getnet Adane and the prime minister’s spokesperson Billene Seyoum didn’t instantly reply to requests for remark.

Gizachew Muluneh, spokesperson for the Amhara regional authorities, additionally didn’t instantly reply to a request for remark.

The 2-year-old warfare in Tigray has already killed hundreds, displaced hundreds of thousands and created a humanitarian catastrophe in northern Ethiopia.

Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s authorities accuses the TPLF, which dominated Ethiopia’s ruling coalition till Abiy got here to energy in 2018, of attempting to reassert Tigrayan dominance over Ethiopia. The TPLF accuses Abiy of over-centralising energy and oppressing Tigrayans.

On Saturday the Canadian authorities warned that Eritrea was mobilising armed forces as a result of resumption of preventing in Tigray, the place a ceasefire in place since March broke down on Aug. 24. learn extra

Eritrea’s Yemane confirmed over the weekend that some reservists have been referred to as up however mentioned the federal government was not mobilising your entire inhabitants.

Ethiopian residents and support staff beforehand reported that Eritrean troops had shelled the cities of Shiraro and Adigrat earlier this month.

In keeping with a United Nations doc seen by Reuters on Monday, greater than 200,000 individuals have fled the latest preventing.

Additionally on Monday, a U.N. human rights fee mentioned it had affordable grounds to imagine that Ethiopia’s authorities was “utilizing hunger as a way of warfare”.

The fee additionally mentioned it had affordable grounds to imagine that warfare crimes had been dedicated by forces from each side of the battle.

Spokespersons for the Ethiopian and Eritrean governments and for the Tigrayan forces didn’t reply to requests for remark in regards to the report. Ethiopia’s authorities has beforehand referred to as the fee’s investigation “politically motivated”.

Reporting by Nairobi Newsroom; Modifying by Andrew Heavens, Alexandra Hudson, Peter Graff

Our Requirements: The Thomson Reuters Belief Ideas.