Latest TPLF Military Operation in Afar Displaced over 220,000 People

January 26, 2022

Afar authorities called on the international community to put pressure on TPLF forces to stop military incursion and withdraw from the region  

Awol Arba, president of Afar region (Photo : file/ETV)

Borkena 

As the Ethiopian Federal government is still silent about renewed TPLF military offensives in many areas in the Afar region of Ethiopia, the regional government on Wednesday has released a statement highlighting the danger facing the region due to the TPLF military operation. 

The regional government thinks that the latest attack is part of the TPLF grand strategy to take land from Afar in pursuit of the ” Greater Tigray republic.” 

According to the regional authorities, TPLF Forces took control of several districts in the Kilbetiresu Zone of the region. 

The statement, which highlighted coordinated work with humanitarian organisations for over a year now to ensure the delivery of humanitarian aid to the Tigray region of Ethiopia, said the TPLF narrative that the Afar regional state is blocking aid is crafted to bring People in the Afar and Tigray regions of Ethiopia in a collision course. 

Furthermore, the regional state has confirmed that over 220,000 people are displaced in the region due to the latest TPLF military adventure in the region. 

Opposition groups from the region are also condemning the fresh TPLF attack,  which targeted civilians.  On Konite Moussa on Wednesday wrote on his Twitter account: 

“The #TPLF invasion caused massive civilian death, exodus & destruction in the districts of #Magale, #Erebti, #Abaala and #Barahle. Today the residents of #Konnaba woke up with heavy shelling from Saridlu mountainous areas. Stop unprovoked attacks on civilians. More IDPs expected!”  

The TPLF has been shelling many areas, targeting civilians, and has entered about 150 kilometres deep into the Afar region. 

For the Afar regional state, Humanitarian delivery to the region is obstructed due to the latest TPLF military offensive in the Kilbetiresu area. 

It called on the international community to put pressure on the TPLF to stop military incursion. It also warned TPLF to withdraw from the region. 

On the other hand, the TPLF has been making claims saying that its latest military activity is meant to reverse existential threat. It made further claims that Eritrean Forces and Afars from the Red Sea area are posing existential threat by blocking aid to the region. 

Earlier this week, the group took control of two towns, Abala and Magale, with a vision to take the military operation deep into the Afar region. 

Abala town is only 40 kilometres away from Mekelle, from where TPLF leaders have been leading the war against Ethiopia since July 2021. 

Meanwhile, the TPLF continued its military adventure in  many areas of the Amhara region. Significant portions of Waghumra and Raya area are under intensive  TPLF military activities, according to local news sources