Ethiopian troops capture Tigray regional capital, Mekelle from TPLF

ADDIS ABABA - Ethiopian National Defense Forces [ENDF] captured Mekelle on Saturday, the regional administrative capital of Tigray, in the final phase of an operation targeting the Tigray People's Liberation Front [TPLF], which had been pulling strings in the country for almost ten months now.

TPLF provoked the federal government after raiding the Northern Command base, which ended up in the abduction of several soldiers, leading to an order by Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, to raid the region and "bring order". The region had also conducted local polls without the approval of the national government.

Ethiopian army chief of staff, General Berhanu Jula announced the capture of Tigray regional capital Mekelle after deadly fighting with TPLF, in a statement that was released to the newsrooms, after pressure from the international community, which called for a ceasefire in the region.

While the exact number of deaths is not yet known, several residents had crossed over to the neighboring Sudan, where they were received as refugees. This is the first major test of Abiy, who won the Nobel Peace Prize last year and who has defended the operation, terming it "law and order enforcement".

The military said several Northern Command officers were rescued after days of captivity by TPLF forces. Also, major institutions including the main airport were seized in Mekelle, leading to the end of almost three weeks of bloodshed, which has attracted international condemnation.

Prime minister Abiy Ahmed welcomed the latest news, arguing that the operation was well-intended to bring order to the region. He praised the military for working hard to ensure the country moves forward as a "united front".

"I am pleased to share that we have completed and ceased the military operations in the Tigray region. Our focus now will be on rebuilding the region and providing humanitarian assistance while Federal Police apprehend the TPLF clique," he noted.

Tigray region has for a long time produced the country's top leadership save for Abiy Ahmed, who comes from Promo region. He took over in 2018 and has been lauded for the paving room for the democratization of the country after decades of dictatorship.

GAROWE ONLINE