Key updates
- The terrorist TPLF has intensified its full-scale invasion of the Afar and Amhara regions, killing civilians, terrorizing the population, creating havoc in towns and localities in the two regions, forcefully displacing the populations, and looting and destroying property and infrastructure.
- It has forcefully conscripted a large number of young people and children from the Tigray region. It mobilized the population through intimidation and used food aid as a weapon of coercion.
- It is using inhuman and callous human wave tactics, using the youth of the region as cannon fodders to advance into Afar and Amhara regions sacrificing a large number of people.
- The National Defence Forces and regional forces are gallantly defending the civilian population against these attacks. The Government has no choice but to exert maximum effort to repulse this invasion with all its capacity.
- The Government’s defensive action differentiates and separates military and civilian targets, despite TPLF’s baseless allegations.
- The Government has cautioned civilians in the Tigray Region to stay away from areas where TPLF’s military equipment and training facilities are located.
- The TPLF is concocting lies about the conduct of the hostilities and its theft of fuel destined for humanitarian aid.
Key Messages
- As publicly declared repeatedly, the Government is adhering to its readiness for a negotiated ceasefire. The international community should put pressure on the TPLF to cease hostilities and engage in peace efforts.
- The TPLF has unleashed a massive offensive using ‘human wave tactics’ , including children, against the peoples of the Afar and Amhara regions.
- Repeating its invasions and vicious attacks against these two regions, it has started extensive looting and destroying civilian property and infrastructure.
- TPLF’s ‘human wave tactics’ is causing significant human loss to Ethiopians from the Tigray region and those evaded in the Afar and Amhara regions.
- Many in the international community rightly condemned TPLF’s theft of fuel destined for humanitarian purposes.
- The international community, however, has been silent or equivocal when it comes to TPLF’s aggression.
- The international community has failed to hold TPLF responsible for breaching the humanitarian truce and reigniting the conflict.
- The Government of Ethiopia has thus the responsibility to take all necessary measures to defend the sovereignty, and territorial integrity of the country, and the welfare of the people.
- The Government is forced to take all necessary measures to protect the lives and livelihoods of people in northern Ethiopia.
- The Government remains committed to peacefully resolving the conflict in the Tigray region.
- The international community MUST:
- Recognize the full-scale gravity of TPLF’s invasion of the Afar and Amhara regions and act without delay.
- Not embolden the TPLF’s with a soft stance and with equivocal calls.
- Recognize the Government’s commitment to peace and support its repeated calls for the TPLF to stop hostilities.
Condemn:
- Killing of civilians, looting, and destruction of property by TPLF, while it is trying to play the victim.
- TPLF’s instigation of enter-ethnic violence and massacres.
- The forced conscription and deployment of child soldiers from the Tigray region.
- Understand the longstanding behaviour of the TPLF’s leadership in fabricating lies, diverting humanitarian aid for its military objectives as well as using civilians as human shields.
- Put pressure on the TPLF to stop its invasion of the Afar and Amhara regions and end the conflict through peaceful negotiation and without preconditions.
- Know that the Ethiopian Defense Forces is taking precautions for the civilians not to be harmed in any actions taken against TPLF’s military installations and training facilities.
- Understand that the Ethiopian Defense Forces are forced to take all measures necessary to protect civilians, and defend the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ethiopia.
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