Ethiopia claims it has captured Tigray capital at heart of conflict
ETHIOPIA’S prime minister has declared military operations in the northern Tigray region “completed” and claimed his federal forces had captured the crucial regional capital of Mekele.
Due to an almost complete communications blackout in Tigray, it was impossible to independently verify Abiy Ahmed’s statement.
It came just hours before at least six rockets from northern Tigray hit Eritrea, according to diplomats, suggesting the prime minister’s claims were premature.
Catastrophic fighting was expected over the weekend in Mekele when the Ethiopian army said it was surrounding the city with tanks and artillery and warned civilians to stay inside.
International Committee of the Red Cross staff visited government-run Ayder
Referral Hospital yesterday, where they said about 80pc of patients were suffering from trauma injuries and supplies were dwindling.
“The hospital is running dangerously low on sutures, antibiotics, anticoagulants, painkillers, and even gloves,” said Maria Soledad, ICRC’s head of operations in Ethiopia.
It is thought that forces loyal to the powerful regional government, the Tigray People’s Liberation Front, may have tactically retreated into the nearby mountains days ago to avoid heavy clashes.
The TPLF is thought to command 200,000 fighters, some of whom fought in the Eritrea-Ethiopia war from 1998 to 2000.
Tigray has some of the largest weapons stores in the country.
The US embassy in the Eritrean capital Asmara reported “six explosions” caused by rockets from Tigray in the city on Saturday.
The strikes marked the third time that Asmara has been shot at since fighting began on November 4.
The TPLF claimed responsibility for the first rocket attack only two weeks ago, but has frequently accused Eritrea of siding with Ethiopian federal forces.
Thousands have died in the conflict so far, with tens of thousands of refugees streaming across the border into Sudan. (© Daily Telegraph, London)