Diplomat slams observers for categorizing Ethiopian crisis as civil war

BERLIN – A Ethiopian diplomat has slammed observers for categorizing the ongoing Ethiopian crisis as civil war, saying the ‘law enforcement’ operation which began in early November per Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s directives was a law enforcement operation that was only meant to apprehend TPLF ‘criminals’ who she said have been making provocations against federal forces for over two years.

Mulu Solomon Benzuneh, Ethiopia’s Ambassador Extraordinary Penitentiary to German said the federal government operation was only meant to bring TPFL to justice and should not be regarded as  an unfolding civil war or as an armed conflict because it is “over.”

“Ethiopia’s current situation is not a civil war, nor an armed conflict; It is a law enforcement operation aimed at restoring the constitutional order of the country,” She said during a round table discussion hosted by DW Deutsche Welle.

“These are criminals,” she said of the TPLF. “who deliberately attacked the national defense forces which was there for more than 20 years keeping the country, keeping Mekelle [safe] and these people are not only doing this devastating crime [at the moment], they have been doing the same for two years, but the government was very very patient.”