News: As more troops mobilized to northern Ethiopia to join “aimless war” PM Abiy assures operations have “clear, limited & achievable objectives”

Addis Abeba, November 06/2020 – As more troops are being mobilized to join the offensive against TPLF’s regional special forces, Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed said military operations by federal defense forces underway in Northern Ethiopia have “clear, limited & achievable objectives.”

PM Abiy said in his twitter page that the ongoing operations were aimed at restoring “the rule of law & the constitutional order, and to safeguard the rights of Ethiopians to lead a peaceful life wherever they are in the country.”

The Prime Minister’s message came one day after Berhanu Jula, ENDF deputy chief of staff, said Ethiopia was forced to plunge into “unexpected, shameful and aimless war” for which he accused the TPLF of launching an attack against federal forces in Tigray in what he said was “probably the first of its kind in the world.” “The national defense force and the federal government were neither expecting nor prepared to be ambushed” he said, confirming that “our country has entered into a war it didn’t think about.” He accused the TPLF as “a select, radical group” and vowed that the duty of the national defense force was to protect the country from external invasion and internal forces who attempt to defy the constitution.

General Berhanu said more troops were being mobilized towards the area in order to provide support to the northern command. In the last few days, regional governments including Somali and Amhara regional states have pledged their supports to the ENDF by mobilizing their regional special forces.

General Berhanu further said that the army has no other mission than to protect the country by taking measures on those who try to forcefully topple the federal government.

The northern command has been situated in the area to protect Ethio-Eritrea borders, securing the peace and stability of the region for two decades. The people of Tigray have expressed their opposition against the attack of the army by a “select radical group” the Berhanu said.

Confirming the existence of causalities from the military operations, General Berhanu said that “injured troops were hospitalized and were being treated with the understanding that they were forced into fighting for a cause they do not support.” The northern command  has successfully defended itself from the attack he added.

“Our country is plunged into an unexpected war” he said, and urged the people of Tigray to stand against this “aimless war”. “This war serves the interest of a select few radical groups and the national defense force will quash it.” He also added that the army will carefully incise this radical group out of the community with minimum casualties to civilians. Additionally he expressed his concerns about the launching of a war in the the harvest season, which caught the army off guard when it was collecting harvest with the community and helping with the fight against the ongoing locust invasion. AS