Mekelle Returning to Normalcy, Federal Police in the City

Places under the control of Ethiopian Defense Forces including Mekelle city will be accessible to UN humanitarian agencies  

Members of Federal Police special forces. (Photo credit : FP commission)

Borkena

December 2, 2020

 Federal Police Commission criminal investigation team and special forces on Wednesday arrived in Mekelle City.

 According to a report by the state media, Ethiopian Broadcasting Corporate (EBC), the special forces have already launched hunting criminals in coordination with the Ethiopian Defense Force. 

Federal police deployment to Mekelle was difficult in the past due to a militant from Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF). In July 2018, about 40 highly armed Federal Police members were reportedly detained upon arrival at Alula Aba Nega International Airport. They were deployed with a court order to arrest TPLF leaders implicated in criminal activities.

The Federal police undisclosed specificities of criminals for whom the operation is needed. It is, however, understood that the Ethiopian government has been searching for TPLF leaders who refused to surrender to the Ethiopian Defense Forces.

The Ethiopian Defense Force took control of Mekelle City on Saturday after TPLF forces lost the war to the Ethiopian Defense Forces.

Meanwhile, residents of Mekelle city on Wednesday told an EBC reporter that normalcy is restored to the city. A resident who did not tell her name said “we were scared when the planes were hovering. Now it is peaceful and businesses are re-opening.”

Another resident of Mekelle said that the Ethiopian Defense Force has been peaceful but looting in the neighborhoods has become a problem. He said that the government needs to do something about it. 

The Ethiopian government granted access to the UN nations humanitarian agencies in areas under the control of the Ethiopian Defense Forces. 

There has been a communication blackout as the Ethiopian government was undertaking a “law enforcement operation” to hunt TPLF leadership which turned out to be a full-fledged war with TPLF forces that lost the war in a matter of two weeks.

TPLF leaders justify the loss with the claim that they were facing Eritrean armies as well. They vow to launch guerrilla warfare.