Government forces have begun an offensive to capture Mekelle
Ethiopian government forces have begun an offensive to capture Tigray’s capital, Mekelle, according to the leader of rebellious forces in the volatile region.
Debretsion Gebremichael, leader of the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) told the media in a text message on Saturday that Mekelle was under “heavy bombardment.”
Billene Seyoum, a spokeswoman for the Prime Minister’s office, said that Ethiopian forces would not “bombard” civilian areas, adding “the safety of Ethiopians in Mekelle and Tigray region continues as a priority for the federal government.”
Raids in refugee camps
Debretsion also accused the military of the neighbouring nation of Eritrea of raiding refugee camps in Tigray to capture refugees who had fled Eritrea.
Reuters was not immediately able to get a comment from the Eritrean government.
Claims from all sides are difficult to verify since phone and internet links to the region have been down and access tightly controlled since fighting began three weeks ago between forces of the government and the TPLF.
Ethiopia Autonomous Media
