Ten days after the launch of operation Alula in central Tigray, the Ethiopian military has wholly withdrawn from the Tigray province. After intense fighting across central and southern Tigray, Tigrayan fighters – the Tigray defense forces – entered the capital of Tigray, Mekelle.
The operation, which has been touted as ‘hugely successful’, hit ‘critical’ divisions of the Ethiopian military, rendering it retreat to major towns. But that retreat would soon be followed by a complete withdrawal from the province.
Tigray’s ousted regional government said that ‘the legitimate government of Tigray has been reinstated’. It is to be recalled that the ousted government was defeated last year after a joint military attack was launched by the Ethiopian army, Eritrean army, and regional Amhara forces. After the battering of the three invaders, the ENDF finally decided to pull out with the remaining units in tow.
A massive chunk of the ENDF’s military components was destroyed, with TDF General Teklebirhan W/aregay going as far as saying, “two-thirds of Abiy’s army (7 divisions) wiped out within one week.”
The commander-in-chief of the Ethiopian army PM Abiy had taken control of leading war operations after worrying developments. Several Ethiopian troops arrived at Lalibela to enter Tigray through Tembien, central Tigray. According to the statement by the elected government of Tigray, “The wide offensive that started in the morning of 23/06/21 as a continuation of operation Alula, has succeeded in destroying 20000+ soldiers consisting of 23rd, 24th, 25th, divisions as well as one brigade 2nd battalion of the 12th division, remnants of 31st division, Amhara special forces and Fano units brought from Amhara region to join the army.
Monday was the first time the ousted government of Tigray has regained control of the regional capital. After their submission of Mekelle in November, TPLF utilized a different fighting strategy to ensure that the party could survive the onslaught by ENDF and allied forces. Their new tactics constituted hit-and-run tactics, ambushes, and conventional guerilla warfare, which was used to devastating effecting against the Ethiopian and Eritrean militaries.
While all parties were sparring in the mountains of Tigray, grave human rights violations were being committed in the region. International organizations reported numerous reports of massacres and sexual violence as a weapon of war.
NGOs in Tigray have reported more than 22000 women and girls have been subjected to sexual violence. Numerous cases of gang rape and inhumane forms of sexual violence, which USAID head Samantha powers denounced as targeting the ‘reproductive health of Tigrayans.’ Those crimes could amount to genocide under the 1948 Genocide Convention.
The Ethiopian and Eritrean governments have also been accused of using famine as a weapon of war. Several aid organizations have blamed both forces for blocking urgently-needed aid from getting to the suffering people of Tigray. Unfortunately, the situation is exacerbated by the displacement of millions currently in makeshift IDP camps.
The resurgence of famine for the first time since the 1980s supposedly forced the interim administration of Tigray to request a humanitarian cease-fire on Monday afternoon. Dr. Abraham belay, the head of the interim administration, revealed on TV that he had asked the Federal government to enact a humanitarian cease-fire, shocking the international community.
Even though the Ethiopian forces have depleted their capabilities in Tigray, with the last few remaining units in Mekelle yielding to the TDF, the Arat-kilo administration is trying to bluff. It wasn’t a truce of magnanimous nature but rather a total defeat. The interim Tigray administration headed by Dr. Abraham Belay was forced out by months of fighting.
The TDF won with brute force, and they have captured almost all of the territory held by the Ethiopian military. The falling of Mekelle is a significant triumph for the TDF as their forces await the complete withdrawal of Eritrean troops in northern and north-western Tigray.
The majority of the Eritrean forces have withdrawn from major towns, including Adwa, Axum, Adigrat, and Shire. But it’s impossible to verify this due to the telecommunications blackout imposed on Tigray by the federal government.
After the liberation of towns across Tigray, thousands of residents flooded the streets with Tigrayan flags and loud cheers. The capital Mekelle was lit with bright fireworks throughout Monday night.
I happened to call one of my relatives just as news of Mekelle’s capture was circulating. She told me what a great scene it was, looking at the gallant fighters walking with the Tigrayan flag held high. “As soon as we realized that they were TDF fighters, we jumped into the streets with welcoming cheers.” The jubilations also spread to cities where TDF was able to regain lost territory.
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