TPLF Leaders Listed Killed in Action as Disclosed by Ethiopian Defense Force

Core TPLF leaders yet to be captured as per information from Ethiopian Defense Force  

Borkena

January 1, 2021

The Ethiopian Defense Force on Friday announced about Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) leaders who were killed during the law enforcement operation. 

One of those killed in action is said to be Colonel Yemane Gebremiechael who is believed to be, according to Ethiopian government position, behind the Maikadra massacre in early November 2020. 

Former State Minister in the Ministry of Transport, Mulu GebreEgziabhier, is among leaders who were taken captive during the operation. 

Brig. General Tesfaye Ayalew, head of the deployment department within the defense force, told Ethiopian News Agency (ENA) there was a joint operation by the Ethiopian Defense Force and the Federal police to capture TPLF leaders. Some are captured live  while those who resisted were killed in action. 

There are, however, TPLF leaders who are not yet captured or confirmed to be dead. The joint operation between the Defense Force and the Federal Police is still undertaking the operation to hunt them down. 

According to Brig. General Tesfaye, some TPLF military and political leaders were captured in a monastic community in north Ethiopia disguising themselves as monks. Others were found in a cave. 

Senior military officers who deserted the army to fight on the side of TPLF have been killed after they declined an offer to surrender during the search operation, General Tesfaye added.  

Military officers killed in Action : 

Colonel Alem Gebremedhin, Colonel Benyan Gebremedhin, Colonel Ambaye, Colonel Maesho, Colonel Yirga Seyoum, Colonel Hadush, Colonel Atsbeha, Colonel Tesfaye Gebremedhin, Colonel Yohannes Kalayu, Colonel Tekle Egziabher, and Let. Colonel Berhane Tola 

Captured :

Hadush Zewge Gezahegne (the region’s audit office head)

Solomon Hiluf Nigussie (Development training office head)

Kidanemariam Gebrekirstos (Attorney general of the region)

Bahita Woldemichael (Education office head)

Hagos Woldekidan Gebremariam, (Development plan coordinator in the office of Economy plan)

Gebreamlak Yihebyo (Mekelle University faculty) 

Also, Ethiopian Defense Force announced that an unspecified number of Tigray region’s special forces and militia surrendered to  government forces. 

Furthermore, the Ethiopian Defense said that “some TPLF leaders who were killed in action were buried after their head is decapitated” to avoid public disclosure of their identity.  

The whereabouts of key TPLF leaders including Debretsion Gebremichael, Getachew Reda, Seyoum Mesfin, Alem Gebrewahid, and Abay Tsehaye  ( among others) is yet to be established. 

About a week ago, Getachew Reda tweeted, presumably somewhere from the Tigray region, that he is alive. 

Last month, Ethiopia offered ten million birr reward for information leading to the capture of TPLF leaders.

Those captured are anticipated to provide reliable clue.