Hours after the prime minister of Ethiopia declared it gained “full control” of Tigray’s capital, the U.S. Embassy in neighboring Eritrea reported six explosions in the capital city.
“At about 10:13pm on November 28 there were six explosions in Asmara,” a security alert from the embassy read. “The Embassy again advises all U.S. Citizens in Eritrea to continue to exercise caution. … US Citizens not in country should avoid travel to Eritrea.”
On Friday, a “loud noise, possibly an explosion,” was heard in Asmara, likely from outside the city, according to another alert. Nearly two weeks ago, Tigray regional President Debretsion Gebremichael confirmed that Tigray forces had fired missiles at the city.
Tigray is the northernmost region of Ethiopia, bordering Eritrea to the north and Sudan to the west. Tens of thousands of Tigrayans have fled the country into Sudan amid violence that has raged since Nov. 4, when Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed began a military assault after accusing the Tigray People’s Liberation Front of attacking federal troops at a military base.
Tigray People’s Liberation Front once ruled Ethiopia’s government, but it has now been upended by Abiy’s rule. Both governments view one another as illegal.
Abiy tweeted about retaking control of Mekelle, the capital, on Saturday.
“I am pleased to share that we have completed and ceased the military operations in the #Tigray region,” the prime minister tweeted. “Our focus now will be on rebuilding the region and providing humanitarian assistance while Federal Police apprehend the TPLF clique.”
I am pleased to share that we have completed and ceased the military operations in the #Tigray region.
Our focus now will be on rebuilding the region and providing humanitarian assistance while Federal Police apprehend the TPLF clique. #EthiopiaPrevails https://t.co/WrM2BAPCD6
— Abiy Ahmed Ali ?? (@AbiyAhmedAli) November 28, 2020
Phone and internet communications with the region have been “almost completely severed,” and the United Nations has been unable to send aid to the region for nearly a month. Some fear “the atrocities that might emerge once transportation and other links are restored.”
Last week, Abiy urged the international community to allow the conflict in his nation to play out, rejecting “any interference in our internal affairs.”
In a rare report, the International Committee of the Red Cross said that the Ayder Referral Hospital, a major Tigrayan hospital, is running out of body bags and that roughly 80% of its patients suffered trauma injuries.
“The influx of wounded forced the hospital to suspend many other medical services so that limited staff and resources could be devoted to emergency medical care,” the committee said, adding that hospitals in the region are running “dangerously low” on supplies to care for those who have been injured.
“I would like to express my appreciation to the people of Tigray who have understood the [Ethiopian National Defense Force]’s goodwill and duty to nation,” Abiy added. “We now have ahead of us the critical task of rebuilding what has been destroyed; repairing what is damaged; returning those who have fled, with utmost priority of returning normalcy to the people of the Tigray region.”
