Abi Ahmed’s speech came after Addis Ababa announced the Ethiopian army’s control of the largest cities in the Amhara region in the north of the country (Disi, Kumbelsha and Bati), which the Tigray Liberation Front seized more than a month ago.
He added in a speech broadcast on state television: “The enemy we faced cannot rise anymore. In less than 15 days, we were able to achieve great victories.”
He continued, “We will continue until we reach the remaining areas of North Lulu, after the enemy received heavy losses and many of its fighters became prisoners.”
But the military commander of the Tigray Liberation Front had said earlier, that his forces withdrew to arrange their situation and return the ball towards their goals.
Last November, the Tigray Liberation Front fighters had threatened to advance on the capital, Addis Ababa, but it seemed that the latter’s government had been able before the scales of the battles in recent days, and this coincided with Abi Ahmed assuming the leadership of the battles himself.
The conflict between the two parties erupted in November 2020, when Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed sent forces to the Tigray region in the far north of the country to overthrow the Tigray Liberation Front in response to the front’s attacks on army camps.
The army managed to achieve a quick victory at first, but by last June the rebels had regained control of most of Tigray and then advanced towards the neighboring Afar and Amhara regions.
This escalation alarmed Western governments, especially with the Tigray Liberation Front threatening to advance on Addis Ababa. Several countries, including the United States, Canada and France, asked their nationals to leave the country as soon as possible.
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