TPLF will go on to wage a guerrilla war
The fighting in Tigray Province in northern Ethiopia has been going on for a month. Thousands of people are believed to have been killed and tens of thousands have fled to neighboring Sudan. On one side of the conflict is the “Liberation Front of the Tigrean People”, TPLF, which wants more self-determination. The movement ruled Ethiopia for 27 years, between 1991 and 2018. On the other side is the government and Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed. When Abiy Ahmed came to power in 2018, the TPLF felt marginalized. Leaders of the movement were fired and accused of corruption.
They retreated to their home province of Tigray in the north. After a long period of tension, it exploded into a war in early November. TPLF has its own army, a lot of weapons and great war experience. In addition, they have a lot of self-confidence because it was the TPLF that overthrew the dictator Mengistu. They seem to be convinced that they are strong enough to take on the entire Ethiopian army.
But Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, who was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2019, has been adamant in his rhetoric and actions. He says he does not want to negotiate until the TPLF is defeated and disarmed. Announced the operation completed After several weeks of fierce fighting, government forces captured Tigray’s provincial capital Mekele last weekend, and Prime Minister Abiy announced that the operation was now complete.
Telephone and internet have been completely turned off in Tigray. In some places it will be running again, but it is still difficult to know exactly what is happening in the region. But according to information that has come out, fighting is still going on in several places in the province. And refugees continue to come to Sudan. When the rebels lost control of the provincial capital, they took refuge in the countryside and up in the mountains.
TPLF does not give up According to TPLF’s leader Debretsion Gebremichael, the group will not give up. He says his forces will continue to fight for their right to self-determination. It is likely now that the TPLF will go on to wage a guerrilla war against the central government. The “Liberation Front of the Tigranian people” has long experience of guerrilla warfare during the 1980s when they fought against the Marxist government.
Then as now, they can take advantage of the inaccessible terrain with mountains and ravines, where only those with local knowledge can find. The war in Tigray may be going on for a long time to come.
Ethiopia Autonomous Media
