Eritrean troops go rampage in Tigray despite withdrawal calls

WASHINGTON, USA - Eritrean troops have been linked to ongoing rape, torture, and mass killings in the Tigray region, reports indicate, despite persistent calls to have them withdrawn from the area, a move which could further lead to international sanctions according to security experts.

The most affected people are women who are subject to rape and torture, the AP noted, adding that humanitarian supply in the region still remains limited due to blockades imposed by the troops despite a plea from the international community.

In spite of joining arms to ax Tigray, it is clear that the Ethiopian government does not have the ability to maintain control and withdraw Eritrean troops. Tigray region is fully curbed by Eritrean forces along with Amhara militias. They, at times, restrict access of the Ethiopian authorities to the region of Tigray, AP added.

Last week, State Department termed the Tigray genocide as "ethnic cleansing" as the US called for immediate withdrawal of Eritrean troops. Unfortunately, more evidence shows that their presence is growing and they are invading further remote areas.

This week, the U.S. imposed sanctions on Ethiopian and Eritrean officials over the Tigray conflict which the Addis government called "misguided" and "regrettable". President Joe Biden asked Asmara to withdraw troops urgently as he called for a ceasefire.

Two sources with ties to the government told the AP that Eritrea is in charge in parts of Tigray, and there is fear that it is dealing directly with ethnic Amhara militias and bypassing federal authorities altogether. Addis Ababa seems to be incapable to control the situation, one source added.

“They are still here,” said Abebe Gebrehiwot, a Tigrayan who serves as the federally appointed deputy CEO of Tigray, sounding frustrated in his office.

The continuing presence of Eritrean soldiers “has brought more crisis to the region,” he warned. “The government is negotiating…. I am not happy.”

Ethiopia and Eritrea were deadly enemies for decades, with Tigray’s then-powerful rulers, the Tigray People’s Liberation Front, taking leading roles in a divisive border conflict. That started to change in 2018 after Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed took office and made peace with Eritrea, for which he won the Nobel Peace Prize.

Abiy also marginalized the Tigrayan leaders, who fought back by questioning his authority. In early November the Ethiopian government accused Tigrayan troops of attacking federal ones. Tigrayan leaders later fired rockets into the Eritrean capital of Asmara, including some that appeared to target the airport there.

The Eritreans are acting out of a deep-rooted animosity against Tigrayan leaders after the border war, even though the people share a similar culture, according to Berhane Kidanemariam, an Ethiopian diplomat and Tigrayan who resigned his post earlier this year in protest.

Eritrea’s longtime president, Isaias Afwerki, seeks a buffer zone along the border to foil any attempts by Tigray’s now-fugitive leaders to make a comeback, especially by resupplying their arsenal through Sudan, Berhane said.

It's estimated that thousands of Tigray people have been murdered with ENDF and Eritrea troops maintaining that they are in pursuit of Tigray People's Liberation Front [TPLF] fighters. On the contrary, the troops seem to be targeting civilians in the region.

Abiy Ahmed, the Nobel Peace Prize winner of 2019, who is also the Ethiopian PM, has persistently pledged to withdraw the troops along with Amhara regional forces. Early this week, the Ethiopian government claimed TPLF has killed a number of ENDF troops.

GAROWE ONLINE