Wednesday, January 13, 2021

Seyoum Mesfin, Abay Tsehaye Killed, Ethiopian Defense Force Confirms

Seyoum Mesfin was a top TPLF official, and one of the close confidants of Meles Zenawi, who served as foreign minister for nearly two decades.  

Seyoum Mesfin (top), Abay Tsehaye (botom left) and Asmelash Woldeselassie (bottom right)

Borkena

January 13, 2021 8:38 PM

The Ethiopian Defense Force on Wednesday confirmed that former Minister for Foreign Affairs Seyoum Mesfin was killed after he resisted to surrender.

News updates from the defence force said that they were killed during a joint operation with the Federal police but did not specify when that happened. Seyoum Mesfin was killed in a cave area along the Tekezze river bank (the river is 608 kilometers long).

Some Ethiopian activists on social media speculate that it has been several weeks since he was killed and that the government is releasing the information now to divert attention away from the massacre in the Benishangul region of Ethiopia. 

Two other top Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) officials, namely Abay Tsehaye and Asmelash Woldeselassie were also killed during the operation.  

Colonel Kiros Hagos, who was said to have deserted the Ethiopian Defense Force to change side to TPLF force, was also killed, apparently in the same operation, according to information from the defense force. 

“The TPLF officials and the military officer were repeatedly asked to surrender before they were annihilated,” said Brigadier General Tesfaye Ayalew who is head of the deployment department in the Ethiopian Defense Force. 

Furthermore, the Ethiopian Defense Force announced lists of military officers who were captured in the operation:  

1) Colonel Gebremeskel Gebrekidan (deserted from Ethiopian Defense Force)

2) Colonel Fisseha Kidane (deserted from Ethiopian Defense Force)

3) Colonel Zerabruk Tadesse (deserted from Ethiopian Defense Force)

4) Commander Gebrekidan Asgedom (was commander of Tigray Special Forces)

5) Ato Mebrhatom Kinde (Tigray region government official) 

There are still key TPLF leaders who are neither confirmed dead nor captured. Brigadier General Tesfaye Ayalew extended the call to surrender.   

Several TPLF leaders including Sebhat Nega and Abay Woldu were captured last week.

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