Both sides claim gains in Ethiopia war, as Tigrayans accused of massacre
ADDIS ABABA/ NAIROBI ( Reuters) – Ethiopia’s state- appointed rights group accused a Tigrayan youth group on Tuesday of massacring hundreds of civilians as federal and local forces both claimed advances in a three- week war in the country’s mountainous north.
Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s government said enemy soldiers were surrendering as it advanced towards the regional capital, but the Tigrayans reported they were resisting and had destroyed a prestigious army division.
The Ethiopian Human Rights Commission published findings into a Novovember 9 attack in Mai Kadra in southwest Tigray state – first reported by Amnesty International – where it said a youth group called Samri killed at least 600 people of the minority Amhara and Wolkait ethnic groups in the town.
Non- Tigrayans were beaten to death, stabbed, set on fire and strangled with ropes, the report said, though some residents protected neighbors by hiding them in homes. The commission accused local forces of colluding in the massacre.
The Tigray People’s Liberation Front ( TPLF) was not immediately available but has previously
denied involvement.
Reuters has been unable to verify statements made by either side since phone and internet connections to Tigray are down and access to the area is strictly controlled.
Since fighting began on November 4, hundreds have died, more than 41,000 refugees have fled to Sudan, and there has been widespread destruction and uprooting of people from homes.
The war has spread to Eritrea, where the Tigrayans have fired rockets, and also affected Somalia
where Ethiopia has disarmed several hundred Tigrayans in a peacekeeping force fighting al Qaeda- linked terrorists.
Abiy’s government said many Tigrayan combatants had responded to an ultimatum to lay down arms before a threatened offensive against Mekelle city, with half a million inhabitants.
The deadline Wednesday.
“Using the government’s 72- hour period, a large number of Tigray militia and special forces are surrendering,” a government expires on taskforce said.
The battle- hardened TPLF, which had ruled the region of more than five million people, gave a different version, saying their troops were keeping federal forces at bay and scoring victories.
Their spokesman Getachew Reda said an important army unit – which he named as the 21st mechanized division – was destroyed in an assault at Raya- Wajirat led by a former commander of that unit now fighting for the TPLF.
The prime minister’s spokeswoman, Billene Seyoum, denied that.
TPLF leader Debretsion Gebremichael has disputed the government version that Mekelle is encircled at a roughly 50km. distance, telling Reuters the ultimatum was a cover for government forces to regroup after defeats.
The United States – which regards Ethiopia as a powerful ally in a turbulent region – France and Britain were the latest foreign powers to call for peace.
Washington backed African Union ( AU) mediation efforts “to end this tragic conflict now,” while Paris and London warned against ethnic discrimination.