“We will decisively curb the offensive that the TPLF terrorist group started.” Ministry of Defense, Ethiopia

Addis Ababa, October 14, 2021 — The FDRE Ministry of Defense released a statement this evening on current situation. We have the full statement in verbatim below.

The Full Statement

“We will decisively curb the offensive that the TPLF terrorist group started.” 

 

After the TPLF invaded and slaughtered our army which was based in Tigray, the government took a law enforcement operation which broke the spine of the junta and it was destroyed while those that survived retreated into the caves. After that the government was occupied in stabilizing and reconstructing Tigray for eight months. However, TPLF began to reorganize and started fueling the crisis while at the same time accusing the government and the Ethiopian National Defense Forces. The Ethiopian National Defense Forces left Tigray so that human rights abuses won’t be exacerbated, so that farmers won’t be without harvest in the coming year and so as to grant the farmer an opportunity for planting season.

All in all, it was intended to provide the region a moment of reflection and hence the unilateral ceasefire was decided on the part of the government. This was a responsible decision.

Nevertheless, the TPLF terrorist group rather than reciprocating the ceasefire decided to follow and attack the army and expanded the crisis into Amhara and Afar regions.

It not only expanded the conflict into Amhara and Afar regions but also destroyed and looted infrastructure. It destroyed that which it could not steal. It killed innocent civilians. It destroyed the homes of farmers and pastoralists. It fed the livestock to its army and killed the remaining. It destroyed plants. It looted crops.

The junta conducted consecutive offensives to get access to the Sudan corridor and also to cut off the Djibouti road. It started a heavy offensive in the North Wollo believing that it can get to Addis Ababa within two weeks. Our valiant defense forces have ensured that the junta’s aim to destroy Ethiopia bore no fruit.

Three days ago, one of the members of the junta Lt. Gen. Tsadkan said “We will shorten the war. We will enter Addis Ababa within two weeks. We will change the military, political and diplomatic landscape.” With this in mind, it started an all out offensive in all fronts. With the fire it started, it is being punished by our valiant defense forces.

The leader of the junta, Debretsion Gebremichael concurred with what Lt. Gen. Tsadkan said three days ago. He said “We will bury Ethiopia like our forefathers did and we will have our peace.” They had this aim which they made public through the media. And accordingly, they have begun their offensive since Monday. With the offensive they started, they are getting the punishment of a lifetime.

Our defense forces are not only fighting the enemy's invading forces, but are also fulfilling their historic responsibility to ensure Ethiopia's security and survival by inflicting heavy casualties on the enemy. And it will continue to intensify this fight.