{"id":12300,"date":"2021-10-11T12:28:00","date_gmt":"2021-10-11T12:28:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/axumawian.com\/?p=12300"},"modified":"2021-10-12T11:33:55","modified_gmt":"2021-10-12T11:33:55","slug":"ethiopias-tigray-crisis-army-launches-offensive-on-all-fronts-rebels","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/axumawian.com\/?p=12300","title":{"rendered":"Ethiopia’s Tigray crisis: Army launches offensive on all fronts – rebels"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Source: BBC<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

October 11, 2021<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Ethiopian army has launched co-ordinated attacks on all fronts against forces from the northern Tigray region, the rebels say.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

They said the government was using artillery, tanks, jets and drones in an attempt to “reinvade” the region.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A senior rebel source said Tigray forces were holding their ground.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Ethiopian government has not confirmed any fighting, and a communications blackout makes independent verification impossible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A senior member of the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF), Getachew Reda, said the government offensive launched last week was now in “full swing”.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Asked if a ground offensive had been launched, Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s spokeswoman Billene Seyoum said the government had a responsibility to protect its citizens across the country from acts of terrorism but gave no further details.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The 11-month conflict has caused a humanitarian crisis, with the United Nations warning that about 400,000 people were living in famine-like conditions in Tigray in July.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Thousands of people have been killed in the conflict, and another two million have been forced to flee their homes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Difficult to justify an offensive<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Analysis by Kalkidan Yibeltal, <\/strong>BBC News, Addis Ababa<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Ethiopian government has not confirmed reports of a major offensive against the Tigray rebels, but a mobilisation of the country’s forces and allied militia over the past few months left no doubt that a huge operation was in the offing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

With elections out of the way and the rainy season at its end, Prime Minister Abiy seems focussed on a military solution to the long-drawn out conflict.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The war has already taken its toll on the country: thousands have been killed, millions displaced and hundreds of thousands are facing famine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But both sides have sent mixed signals about their willingness to accept a peaceful resolution.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It will, however, be a difficult task for Mr Abiy to justify another major offensive at a time when his government is facing a lot of international pressure to open talks with the rebels.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The Ethiopian army took control of most of Tigray in November 2020, after TPLF forces seized a military base.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In June 2021, the rebels recaptured Tigray in a surprise attack, and then moved into parts of neighbouring regions like Amhara.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ethiopia has declared the TPLF a terrorist organisation, but the TPLF insists that it is the legitimate government in Tigray.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Tigray – the basics<\/h2>\n\n\n\n