Ethiopia sends army into Tigray region, heavy fighting reported

[Alias]

NPR Choice page

Ethiopia's Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed has ordered a military offensive, after an army base was taken over by forces loyal to the regional government of Tigray.

 

[Alias]

Thousands flee Ethiopia conflict, anti-Tigray protests planned

Ethiopian refugees were flooding into Sudan on Wednesday as Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed's federal troops battled well-armed local forces in Tigray and protests against the northern region's leaders were planned elsewhere.

www.reuters.com

10,000 plus people have now entered Sudan to get away from the violence. It was 2500 a few hours ago. Ethiopian soldiers are allegedly among those fleeing. Few hundred likely dead on both sides. Possibly higher. International news outlets are very skeptical at the Ethiopian government continued insistence that this will be a quick conflict based on the Tigray government having a quarter of a million strong miltia, a good portion of the military stationed in the north is of the Tigray ethnic group and its reported a good portion of them have defected to the TPLF. Also concerns this will escalate into a country wide civil war, as quite a few groups have issues with the federal government there.

 

[Alias]

U.N. says more than 14,500 have fled Ethiopia to Sudan

The U.N. refugee agency said on Friday that clashes in Ethiopia had prompted more than 14,500 people to flee into neighbouring Sudan since early November, with the speed of new arrivals "overwhelming the current capacity to provide aid".

www.reuters.com

Nearly 15000 refugees in Sudan now.

Ethiopia: Investigation reveals evidence that scores of civilians were killed in massacre in Tigray state

Amnesty International confirms the brutal massacre of possibly hundreds of civilians in Mai-Kadra in Ethiopia's western Tigray state. The organization gathered testimonies, and its Crisis Evidence Lab verified images and video from the scene, geolocated the site and corroborated injury images...

www.amnesty.org

500 plus people massacred in Mai-Kadra. Uncertainty about who is responsible is being used as propaganda by both sides.

As Ethiopia's conflict rages, ethnic targeting turns deadly

NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) — Ethnic Amharas killed. Ethnic Tigrayans arrested, in hiding or cut off from the world. Ethiopia’s deadly conflict is spilling beyond the country's northern Tigray region and...

apnews.com

Ethnic Tigrayans being arrested and fired.

 

[Eliar]

How does the saying go?

A civil war is anything but civil

 

[Zhang Jiao]

How does the saying go?

A civil war is anything but civil

Honestly, I have my suspicions about this conflict.

 

[Alias]

Honestly, I have my suspicions about this conflict.

What are your suspicions?

 

[Zhang Jiao]

What are your suspicions?

Nothing conspiratorial. I mean that from the limited information that I have, I'm wondering if the fighters in the region are receiving arms from terrorist groups and if this is related to terrorist groups such as al Qaeda or those linked with them. Granted, there are a lot of reasons why people would want to fight against the Ethiopian government. I'm just wondering about the arms networks, is all, not necessarily that Ethiopia is fighting against terrorism or anything.

 

[Alias]

Number of refugees fleeing Ethiopia to Sudan surpasses 20,000 - U.N.

The number of people who have fled into Sudan from the conflict in northern Ethiopia has risen to at least 20,000, the U.N. refugee agency and local officials said on Sunday.

www.reuters.com

20,000 to 25,000 refugees now in Sudan.

Dozens killed in ‘gruesome’ bus attack in western Ethiopia

No immediate indication assault in Benishangul-Gumuz region is linked to escalating conflict in northern Tigray region.

www.aljazeera.com

Dozens killed in an attack on a bus in western Ethiopia. Not connected to the current fighting in Tigray but instead believed to be ethnically motivated.

Fears of regional conflict in Horn of Africa after rocket attacks on Eritrea

Leader of Ethiopia’s Tigray region claims responsibility for strike on capital city Asmara

www.theguardian.com

Eritrea attacked with rockets and accusations that Eritrea has attacked TPLF forces.

Bloomberg - Are you a robot?

Also reports that Ethiopia has pulled out 3000 troops from Somalia to redeploy to the north.

 

[Terra Novan]

Nothing conspiratorial. I mean that from the limited information that I have, I'm wondering if the fighters in the region are receiving arms from terrorist groups and if this is related to terrorist groups such as al Qaeda or those linked with them. Granted, there are a lot of reasons why people would want to fight against the Ethiopian government. I'm just wondering about the arms networks, is all, not necessarily that Ethiopia is fighting against terrorism or anything.

Egypt (and Sudan) are more likely than the Islamic groups.

 

[Alias]

Ethiopia rejects African mediation, pushes toward rebel-held Tigray capital

The Ethiopian government rebuffed an African effort to mediate on Saturday, saying its troops had seized another town in their march towards the rebel-held capital of northern Tigray region.

www.reuters.com

Ethiopia rejecting meditation as its forces push deeper into Tigray.

UN report deepens fears that Ethiopia Tigray conflict could be long and brutal

Confidential papers warn that, despite talk of success, army faces heavy resistance and regional stability is at risk

www.theguardian.com

36,000 plus refugees in Sudan now. Some of them being refugees from Eritrea. UN is expecting a long insurgency.

U.N. prepares for up to 200,000 Ethiopian refugees in Sudan

The United Nations refugee agency says about 32,000 people have fled Ethiopia's embattled Tigray region into neighboring Sudan, and it is preparing to take in up to 200,000 in the next six months if necessary.

www.pbs.org

UN preparing for over 200,000 refugees in Sudan. Up to 5000 arriving every day. Also concerns that the pressure of hosting refugees might push Sudan over the edge as it is already dealing with a number of crises.

 

[Alias]

Capital of Ethiopia's Tigray region under control of Ethiopian forces, says PM after intense bombardment

Ethiopian National Defense Forces (ENDF) have taken control of the capital of Ethiopia's Tigray region, according to a tweet from Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed.

www.cnn.com

Ethopia is claiming it has captured the Tigray capital.

Ethiopia PM says Tigray operation over after army seizes Mekelle

PM says military operations in Tigray ‘completed and ceased’ after army seizes Mekelle; no immediate comment from TPLF.

www.aljazeera.com

Basically saying “Mission Accomplished” which I suspect he will regret if a long insurgency happens.

First of four UN humanitarian airlifts for Ethiopia refugees lands in Khartoum

An airplane loaded with humanitarian supplies for people fleeing violence in Ethiopia’s Tigray region has arrived in the Sudanese capital Khartoum, the UN refugee agency (UNCHR) said on Friday, in an appeal for international assistance to cope with the growing numbers seeking shelter in Sudan.

news.un.org

43,000 plus Ethiopian/Eritrean refugees in Sudan now plus the nearly 1 million they already had from other conflicts.

 

[Eliar]

It is good that it ended, aparently.

A tragedy for the victims and the displaced but it could have been so much worse.

 

[t-dugong]

Capital of Ethiopia's Tigray region under control of Ethiopian forces, says PM after intense bombardment

Ethiopian National Defense Forces (ENDF) have taken control of the capital of Ethiopia's Tigray region, according to a tweet from Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed.

www.cnn.com

Ethopia is claiming it has captured the Tigray capital.

Ethiopia PM says Tigray operation over after army seizes Mekelle

PM says military operations in Tigray ‘completed and ceased’ after army seizes Mekelle; no immediate comment from TPLF.

www.aljazeera.com

Basically saying “Mission Accomplished” which I suspect he will regret if a long insurgency happens.

First of four UN humanitarian airlifts for Ethiopia refugees lands in Khartoum

An airplane loaded with humanitarian supplies for people fleeing violence in Ethiopia’s Tigray region has arrived in the Sudanese capital Khartoum, the UN refugee agency (UNCHR) said on Friday, in an appeal for international assistance to cope with the growing numbers seeking shelter in Sudan.

news.un.org

43,000 plus Ethiopian/Eritrean refugees in Sudan now plus the nearly 1 million they already had from other conflicts.

I get the feelings someone's following the American's playbook. Insurgency's going to be a thing, which will hurt innocents the most.

Also, my sympathies to the refugees.