Tigris forces led by the Tigre People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) denied the allegation. Spokesman Getachev Reda told Reuters by satellite phone from an undisclosed location: “We don’t have to kill the youth. There was no resistance in Kombolcha.
Asked by phone and message for comment on Getachev’s statement, government spokesman Legacy Tulu did not respond, but sent Reuters the government’s statement on the alleged murder in Kombolcha earlier in the day.
Tigris forces have been fighting the government for the past year in a widespread war that has destabilized Africa’s second most populous country.
Reuters could not confirm accounts of fighting around the city on a major highway about 380 km (235 mi) from the capital Addis Ababa. Communications in the area have been cut off and journalists have been banned.
On Sunday, TPLF spokesman Getachev said its fighters had pushed south to take Kombolcha and its airport. If confirmed, it would be the closest TPLF to the capital since the Tigre entered the neighboring region of Amhara in July.
Later that day Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed called on all citizens to unite – intensifying a conflict that has threatened to tear apart a country that was once a stable Western ally in a volatile region. Was seen.
“Terrorist group TPLF has summarily killed over 100 Kombolcha youths in infiltrated areas,” the state communications service said on Twitter.
The statement did not provide any further details and government spokesman Legacy did not respond to a phone call to comment about whether those killed were fighters or civilians.
humanitarian crisis
While he has dismissed ethnic cleansing and other abuses in the war in general, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Monday criticized Tigran forces, saying he was concerned by reports that they had killed Kombolcha and Desi in the nearby town. was killed. What was called by the Tigreyan forces. He was confiscated on Saturday.
“Continued fighting prolongs the serious humanitarian crisis in northern Ethiopia. All sides must halt military operations and begin ceasefire talks without preconditions,” Blinken said.
Capturing Kombolcha would be a strategic advantage for the fighters against the Ethiopian army and their allies, who are trying to remove Tigrayan from the Amhara region.
War broke out a year ago between federal troops and the TPLF, which dominated Ethiopian politics for nearly 30 years before the appointment of Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed in 2018.
Thousands of civilians have been killed in this conflict and more than 2.5 million people have been forced to flee their homes.
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