Tigray Peace Force Fighters Exchange Gunfire with Tigray Military
Tigray Peace Force (TPF) fighters exchanged gunfire with Tigray military on Wednesday. TPF, a group of Tigray opposition fighters, have been organizing themselves in the neighboring Afar region recently.
On Wednesday, dozens of armed TPF fighters entered Wajerat district from Afar. Wajerat is situated in southern Tigray. The entry of TPF fighters led to an armed clash between TPF and Tigray military. Tigray military in the area is led by General John Medid. The extent of losses suffered by the two sides is unknown.
Tigray Peace Force demands political change in Tigray. It wants an end to the political dominance in Tigray held by Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF), the ruling party in Tigray. TPF fighters want Tigray military to be neutral. They oppose senior Tigray Generals’ support for TPLF. TPLF and Tigray military accuse Ethiopian Federal Government of backing TPF.
Tigray military units have been seen heading from Adi Gudom to Wajerat, from Mekelle to Ashegoda and Milazat. They want to stop the entry and expansion of TPF fighters into Tigray from Abala and other towns of Afar region.
Reportedly after Wednesday’s clash between TPF and Tigray military in Wajerat, the elders of Wajerat district mediated between the rival parties. TPF fighters are still in Wajerat while Tigray military is beefing up its military presence in the area.
Ongoing confrontation between TPF and Tigray military could lead to the start of civil war in the Tigray region of Ethiopia. The region has already been devastated by two year long war which ended in November 2022.
