ADDIS ABABA: Ethiopia’s army plans to surround the capital of Tigray with tanks and may attack the city with artillery to end a nearly three-week war, a military spokesman said, urging civilians to “save themselves”.
Ethiopian forces seized the town of Idaga Hamus, 97km (60 miles) from the rebel-held Tigray capital of Mekelle, a government task force said on Sunday.
“Our defence force took control of Idaga Hamus town, which is located on the road from Adigrat to Mekelle. The defence force is advancing to capture Mekelle, which is the final goal of the operation,” it said in a tweet. The Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF), which is refusing to surrender its rule of the northern region, said its forces were digging trenches and standing firm. Claims by all sides are hard to verify because journalists have been barred phone and internet communication has been down since fighting began on November 4.
The war has killed hundreds, possibly thousands, and sent more than 30,000 refugees into neighbouring Sudan. Rockets have been fired by the TPLF into the neighbouring region of Amhara and across the border into Eritrea, as it accused both of aiding Ethiopia’s federal forces. Military spokesman Colonel Dejene Tsegaye told the Ethiopia Broadcasting Corporation the next phase of the operation was “to encircle Mekelle using tanks”.
“We want to send a message to the public in Mekelle to save yourselves from any artillery attacks and free yourselves from the junta … After that, there will be no mercy,” he said.
TPLF leader Debretsion Gebremichael told Reuters news agency his forces were resisting a push from south of Mekelle while also fighting near the northern town of Adigrat after it had fallen to federal troops.–PNP
