The Ethiopian government on Monday vowed to take control of major public facilities in the country’s conflict-hit northernmost Tigray region.
The Ethiopian Government Communication Service said in a statement issued Monday that the rebel Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) is “solely responsible” for the current situation.
It said the rebel group, if given the time and space, will do this again as exhibited in its latest communication.
The Ethiopian government said the measures are necessitated not only by the repeated attacks of the TPLF but also by its active collusion with hostile foreign powers.
“It is thus imperative that the government of Ethiopia assumes immediate control of all airports, other federal facilities, and installations in the region,” the statement read.
The government said the decision to assume immediate control of major public facilities is necessary to protect the country’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, in particular as it relates to its airspace. It is also said to facilitate and expedite humanitarian aid to affected people in the region.
The Ethiopian government, however, said it is still committed to the peaceful resolution of the conflict through the African Union-led peace talks.
“We believe that there is a need for a comprehensive and negotiated settlement that would bring about durable peace,” it said.
Amid ongoing concerns by different actors over the conflict’s possible impact on civilians, the Ethiopian government said its forces “strictly abide by all pertinent norms and principles of international humanitarian law.”
It said the Ethiopian National Defense Forces (ENDF) endeavors to avoid combat operations within urban areas to prevent civilian casualties, and strict instructions have been given to all combat units to reinforce this commitment.
Humanitarian aid had been heading to the Tigray region after the Ethiopian government and the rebel forces in late March agreed to a conditional cessation of hostilities and unhindered delivery of humanitarian aid into the region.
Conflict resumed in August as the Ethiopian government accused the TPLF of resuming fighting. The situation eventually halted humanitarian aid flow into parts of Northern Ethiopia.
Ethiopia, Africa’s second most populous nation, has seen a devastating conflict between government-allied troops and forces loyal to the TPLF since November 2020, which has left millions in urgent need of humanitarian assistance.
