After suffering an embarrassing defeats and heavy human loss at the hand of Ethiopian military, the terrorist TPLF group was pushed back to Tigray state. But as the saying goes old habit dies hard, the ragtag group launched a fresh attack invading some areas of Afar state.
The offensive is taking a big toll on civilians and civilian structure displacing hundreds of thousands of communities. TPLF which continues committing war crimes with impunity has also been engaged in extreme looting property destruction, and other evil deeds.
Over the last few months, the group has been doubling down the stakes of its criminal behavior against civilians residing in the state more than ever before. As the international community stands idle and gives the cold shoulder to atrocities being committed in the Afar State, the group has been turning the lives of the people of Afar into a living hell.
Sad as it may sound, the West pulls out all the stops to bring the terrorist group into power and whiten the carnages, plundering, and other criminal acts surfacing in the Afar State. Though they know like the palm of their hand the whole thing going on in the Afar state, they turn a deaf ear.
With the purpose of throwing mud at the Ethiopian governments by making some corridors of humanitarian assistance a battlegrounds, the rogue group has been shelling towns with heavy artilleries creating unprecedented crisis.
It’s worth noting that the attack is an attempt to hinder humanitarian aid. To alleviate the situation, the federal government is working closely with the regional government of Afar, Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed told lawmakers on Tuesday in a Q and A session. Responding to the queries of MPs, Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed said, “When one part is injured, the entire country suffers.
At this time, the international community has no grounds to accuse Ethiopia.” That TPLF’s fresh attack against the border areas with Afar has another propose. The international community has run out of any excuse to point a finger at the Ethiopian government.
TPLF wants the accusation against the Ethiopian government to continue. “The group tries to obstruct the delivery of humanitarian aid to Tigray so that, the international community puts the blame on us.
We would like to tell TPLF not to commit the same mistake. We will fight all forces if they pose a threat to the country’s existence.” The fresh attack has already claimed the lives of innocent civilians and destroyed livelihoods.
The terrorist TPLF is continuing the usual awful activities like killing innocent citizens, displacing the population, looting and destroying private and public property utilizing heavy weapons, said Valerie Browning, Nurse, and Advocate in the Afar state speaking to Prime Media.
She went on to note that the terrorist TPLF invaded five districts and caused the displacement of over 300,000 people from Afar state. The displaced people have been living in a difficult situation as they lack adequate nutrition, shelter, medicine, detergents, and the like.
In this way, the displaced mothers carrying and sheltering their children under trees to save their lives. It is quite a horrific situation in that area. “Though, the Ethiopian Diasporas and Ethiopians in Addis assisted extremely to
save the lives of the displaced people, it would not be sufficient enough compared to the mass displacement of people on a daily basis. Simply, the given food was so little almost like giving a kilogram of wheat flour per household,” she added.
The terrorist TPLF’s assault are supported by mechanized unites and artilleries which are very devastating and horrifically frightening ones; so people are terrified running in all directions, and in that case, a lot has to be done to save lives, she added. She further noted that, the terrorist TPLF destroyed all clinics, living houses, Schools, water schemes, and solar pumps which are very useful for the community. Therefore, the terrorist group has developed absolutely zero logic and zero sense to the community.
In this regard, the terrorist TPLF destroyed 67,000 houses and the victim community is unable to share the market, buy food, sell animals, and the like as the situation is getting quite tough. The terrorist group has also been looting camels from Afar state to Tigray state.
The terrorist TPLF has been using force to control the geographical strategic location (road) of Afar state that connects to Djibouti, the road that brings all the goods from the port of Djibouti into Ethiopia, into Addis Ababa, and into the rest of Ethiopia.
These areas, namely Dalol and Berhale have huge resources in potash as well as gold which are really unexploited, Valerie stated. She called on the federal government, the NGO, and the international community to support the innocent Afar displaced population by fighting against the terrorist TPLF and getting its atrocities for dried good. Politician Neamin Zeleke via his Twitter page said that, since the Afar people have been neglected by the international community, Ethiopians and friends of Ethiopia should support our people for their existence.
Explaining the severity of the problem of Afar people, he said that dozens of civilians have reportedly fled from Northern Afar due to terrorist TPLF’s new atrocity. Likewise, campaigners also urged African solutions for African problems to solve the problem of the country both to support the displaced people and restore peace in the country.
The campaigners also called the need to create unification among Ethiopian people and African countries to end atrocities against civilians through destroying the terrorist group from the land of the country. Afar State communication Affairs Bureau on it part said that, terrorist TPLF has been strengthening the act of shelling against civilians and operation to control the strategic Djibouti line forcefully.
The bureau said that, the terrorist group has been intensifying its attacks into five districts of the state adding that more than the entire terrorist has been intentionally suffering the civilians and causing them humanitarian problems.
As to the bureau, the terrorist group has been shelling heavy weapons against civilians and over 300,000 civilians have been displaced by the group. The bureau said that, like in its previous invasions, the terrorist group has been destructing and looting government and private resources.
The federal government should swiftly respond to TPLF aggression that has caused collateral damage in Afar and Amhara states pushing the rebellious group back, wellacclaimed economists said.
The collateral damage of the war by TPLF is still uncompensated; though the federal government has been seen as inattentive for the growing and intensified invasion by the faction. It was evident that previously, the government repealed the TPLF from Amhara and Afar states following the latter’s invasion.
But currently, the criminal faction reinstated its belligerence into the aforementioned states, said Shiferaw Adilu (PhD) an economist. “So, the federal government has to join the fighting in support of regional security forces.
“If not, it would cause further collateral damages and uprisings against it.” According to Shferaw, the main focus of the government at this time should be on security issues. “I have seen that Prime Minister Abiy (PhD) has visited agricultural developments in several states.
It is good indeed but not timely.” “I am not saying that we do not deserve food. Nonetheless, the people under the TPLF attack need an urgent response from the government.”
BY ADDISALEM MULAT
The Ethiopian 24 February 2022
