Ethiopia hails region for ‘fully supporting’ Tigray operation

ADDIS ABABA – The Ethiopian government is expressing happiness over what it said has been regional support for its ‘Law Enforcement’ operation in the now restive Tigray region, thanking, in particular, the South African government for its ‘efforts’ to achieve peace in the region.

In earlier November, Ethiopian Prime Minister and Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Abiy Ahmed declared war against the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF), a long-time ruling party that had dominated Ethiopian politics for three decades, in a military operation he said would aim at “enforcing” law and order in the TPLF-dominated region.

Last week, federal forces captured Mekelle from TPFL with little, or no efforts.

Regional leaders, some of whom are neighbors to the East African country, have been calling for talks, but defiant Ahmed warned, instead, against interference in Ethiopia’s internal affairs.

In a briefing to regional diplomats on Monday morning, Ethiopian foreign minister and Abiy’s deputy, Demeke Mekonnen, thanked ambassadors of South Sudan, Djibouti, Sudan, Kenya, Burundi, Rwanda, Uganda and South Africa for supporting the operation, without specifying in which way that support was accorded.

The Ethiopian foreign ministry said in a statement seen by Sudans Post this evening that the Ethiopian diplomat thanked the region “for fully supporting the law enforcement operation in Tigray following the sudden attack of the TPLF clique on the Northern command of the Ethiopian Defence Forces.”

“The efforts of South Africa, in its capacity as the Chair of the African Union for 2020, to bring peace in the region are commendable,” he added, according to the statement.

According to the statement, Mr. Demeke said the “operation is swiftly completed with minimum civilian causalities that enabled the federal government to carry out its plans to restore law and order in the region.

“Now the government is engaged with rebuilding infrastructure and telecommunication services, ensuring access to humanitarian assistance to the affected people, returning displaced people to their homes while apprehending the fugitives.”