Mekelle/Tel Aviv/Nairobi/Pretoria/London፡
Abiy Addresses Parliament: Shaebia’s Actions in Tigray, Not Red Sea, Drove Conflict.
Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed said the Ethiopian government’s confrontation with Eritrean forces, commonly known as Shaebia, emerged during the Tigray war after Eritrean troops entered the region and committed widespread abuses, rather than over disputes related to the Red Sea, as is often assumed. He made the remarks during an address to the Ethiopian parliament on Tuesday.
The prime minister stated that Eritrean forces joined the conflict alongside federal troops. He said that during military operations stretching from Shire to Adigrat and Wukro, Eritrean soldiers looted private property and dismantled numerous factories, removing what they could and destroying what they were unable to take.
According to Abiy, the abuses went beyond property destruction. He said mass killings of young civilians took place in Axum and described the incidents as deeply alarming. In response, he said the Ethiopian government dispatched a delegation led by then Foreign Minister Gedu Andargachew to Asmara to urge Eritrean authorities to halt the actions.
The prime minister added that federal authorities feared similar looting and violence would occur in Mekelle if Eritrean troops entered the city. He said the government warned Eritrean forces not to advance into Mekelle and prepared military units to confront them if they did.
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