Ethiopian crisis: Stay away from where TPLF's military equipment, training facilities are located, warns Gov't
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia (PANA) - The Ethiopian government on Friday called on "our people living in Tigray Region" to stay away from the areas where the military equipment and training facilities of the Tigray People's Liberation Movement (TPLF) are located.
This is as fighting between the two sides escalates again with both sides blaming each other for restarting the war that has caused thousands of deaths, injuries, destruction of property and a huge humanitarian crisis.
A Government Communications Service said in a press release that although the Government of had kept the door open for peace until now, "the terrorist TPLF clique has continued its attacks".
"While the readiness of the federal government to talk unconditionally is preserved, it will take action targeting the military forces that are the source of the anti-peace sentiment of the TPLF," the press release said.
In a separate press release, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that the government made every effort to bring about a peaceful resolution to the crisis in the north of the country.
The ministry said in a tweet that it is never too late to make peace and urged the TPLF to "abandon its ingrained belief that guns will solve all problems".
Both sides are blaming each other for the resumption of the fighting on Wednesday.
The TPLF said on Friday that the government carried out new air strikes in Mekelle, the capital of Tigray region, which killed civilians.
On Wednesday a senior Ethiopian National Defence Force member, Major General Tesfaye Ayalew, said the TPLF group launched attacks in the morning at 5 am on the eastern front in Bisober, Zobel Mountain, and Wetwet.
He said with these attacks the group had violated the ceasefire and its combatants were "suffering from the huge fire of the security forces".
There has been a chorus of calls on the Ethiopian Government and the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF) to de-escalate and continue the peace talks.
The conflict between the Addis Ababa government and TPLF started on 4 November 2020 when Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed ordered a military offensive after TPLF forces attacked a federal army base in Mekelle.
Fighting sparked massive displacement, widespread destruction of livelihoods and infrastructure, loss of employment and a huge humanitarian crisis.
Ethiopia declared a unilateral ceasefire in June 2021 but tension has remained between the two sides.
-0- PANA MA 26Aug2022
