Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed announced that he will head to the front lines today, Tuesday, to lead his troops fighting against the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF) as battles draw closer to the capital, Addis Ababa. Reports indicate that TPLF forces are nearing control of the city of Debre Berhan, located 130 kilometers from the Ethiopian capital.
In a statement posted on his Twitter account, Abiy Ahmed said, "I will head to the front to lead our armed forces." He addressed his people by saying, "Those who want to be among the Ethiopians who will be embraced by history, defend the country today. Meet us at the front." In another tweet, he wrote: "We have a history of preserving the name of Ethiopia."
The war that erupted on November 4, 2020, in the Tigray region (north) between federal forces and the TPLF, backed by the Oromo Liberation Army, has resulted in thousands of deaths and the displacement of over two million people.
Abiy's statement comes as the TPLF confirmed its continued advance towards Addis Ababa, indicating that it has captured the town of Shewa Robit, located about 220 kilometers from the capital. The Prime Minister issued his statement following a meeting concerning the current military situation held by the executive committee of the ruling Prosperity Party.
At the conclusion of the party meeting, Minister of Defense Abraham Belay announced that security forces would engage in "different actions," without providing further details. The minister stated, "We cannot continue in this manner, which means there will be a change." He added, "What has happened and is happening to our people due to the atrocities committed by this destructive, terrorist, and thieving group cannot continue."
The federal government declared a state of emergency for six months across the country on November 2, urging residents of Addis Ababa to organize and prepare to defend their city amid growing fears of TPLF fighters advancing towards the capital. However, authorities simultaneously assert that the TPLF's claims of military progress and imminent threats to Addis Ababa are exaggerated.
Addis Ababa sent its forces to Tigray to oust the regional authorities established by the TPLF after the Prime Minister accused the regional troops of attacking federal army outposts. Following fierce battles, Abiy Ahmed announced victory on November 28, but TPLF fighters soon regained control of most of Tigray in June and advanced towards the adjacent Afar and Amhara regions.
U.S. envoy for the Horn of Africa, Jeffrey Feltman, and his African counterpart, former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo, are actively working to reach a ceasefire agreement.
