Ethiopian Prime Minister (PM) Abiy Ahmed on Wednesday declared “victory” over the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) rebels from the frontlines of the conflict, following reports that the Ethiopian military had recaptured several key TPLF-held towns.
“The enemy is defeated. Our remaining task is to rout the enemy and destroy them,” Abiy said. He mentioned that Ethiopian soldiers were successful in preventing an attack on Addis Ababa and had “secured an unimaginable victory in just one day of planning.” He boasted that the Tigrayan youth are “falling like leaves” and called on them to “surrender starting from today.”
The PM also tweeted his “congratulations” to all Ethiopians for supporting the government against the rebels. “When the Ethiopian people unite in all fields, the result is victory,” he said.
The Ethiopian government claimed that troops have “liberated” several towns in the Afar and Amhara regions, including Lalibela, Kasagita, Chifra, Burqa, Mezezo, and Rasa. The recapture of Lalibela, in particular, was hugely symbolic for the government. Lalibela is a United Nations World Heritage Site and home to several ancient churches and is also a holy site for millions of Ethiopian Orthodox Christians. It was captured by the TPLF in August and its fall was seen by the government as a major blow to its campaign to defeat the rebels.
The PM’s office released a statement on Wednesday praising Abiy for joining the troops in the fight against the TPLF. “His decision has boosted troop morale and emboldened the people of Ethiopia to resist and push back the threat of a terrorist organisation,” the statement read.
Abiy’s announcement of victory is the first time the PM has given an update on the fight against the TPLF since he announced last week that he would go to the frontlines. Abiy had said that it was his duty as PM to lead the country’s defence forces from the front and also urged citizens to join the fight and “rise up for their country.”
Abiy’s forces and the TPLF have been fighting a deadly civil war for over a year. Clashes erupted last November when Abiy ordered a military response to an attack on a federal army camp in Tigray by the TPLF, declared a “terrorist” organisation. The fighting quickly boiled over into a full-scale armed invasion by Ethiopian troops, who partnered with Eritrean soldiers in their operation.
The conflict in Tigray has killed thousands and displaced over two million and has witnessed grave human rights violations, including mass killings, rapes, and deliberate starvation. Both the Ethiopian government and the TPLF have accused each other of committing atrocities.