Tigray War: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 14:17, 3 June 2023

The Tigray War is an war in the Tigray National Regional State and neighboring regions that lasted from the 3rd November 2020 to the 3rd November 2022. The war was primarily fought in the Tigray Region of Ethiopia between the Ethiopian federal government and Eritrea on one side, and the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF) on the other.

Historical background and prelude to the war

Tigray People's Liberation Front

Foundation and Civil War

The TPLF was founded in May of 1983 in northern Ethiopia in response to the oppression of ethnic Tigrayans by the various governments of Ethiopia throughout history. The TPLF was founded with aim of the "elimination of national oppression". It also sought the establishment of a "people's democratic state".^[1]

EPRDF-rule in Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia

Following the Autumn of Nations, the TPLF took control of Ethiopia and became the ruling party of the country for around thirty years. However, the TPLF's government was brought down in 2018.^[2]

2018-2020 political crisis

After the TPLF's deposition in 2018, a power struggle began between the TPLF's former government and Abiy Ahmed's new government.^[2]

The course of the War

Foreign involvement

State of Eritrea

The State of Eritrea has deployed troops into the Tigray National Regional State, using their military to fight in active combat against the TPLF.^[3]

United Arab Emirates

The United Arab Emirates has provided military support to the Ethiopian government.^[4]^[5] This has come largely in the form of air support as the Emirates have deployed military planes into the Tigray National Regional State to support the Ethiopian war effort against Tigray.^[6]

United States of America

Conflicting Interpretations of the War

War crimes and effects on civillian population

Aftermath of an Ethiopian airstrike in Mekelle, the capital of the Tigray National Region State.

Airstrikes on civilians

See main article: Airstrike

Both Ethiopian and Eritriean forces have engaged in air strikes against civilians in the Tigray National Regional State.^[7]

Massacres

Sexual violence

Ethnic profiling

There have been report of ethnic Tigrayans being forced out of the military regardless of loyalty^[4], and purges of ethnic Tigrayans from the government.^[8]

Aftermath of the War

References

[1] PEOPLE'S DEMOCRATIC PROGRAMME OF THE TIGRAY PEOPLE'S LIBERATION FRONT (TPLF)

[:2-2] 2.0 ^2.1 The conflict in Ethiopia—who’s fighting who, and why? | Start Here

[3] Ethiopian PM confirms Eritrean troops entered Tigray during conflict

[:1-4] 4.0 ^4.1 Ethiopia's war in Tigray turns into defeat

[5] UAE air bridge provides military support to Ethiopia gov’t

[6] The UAE Joins The Tigray War: Emirati Wing Loong I UCAVs Deploy To Ethiopia

[7] Ethiopia: Unlawful Shelling of Tigray Urban Areas

[:0-8] Ethiopia’s Tigray crisis: Socialism or barbarism

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@@ Line 20: / Line 20: @@
 === State of Eritrea ===
-The [[Eritrea|State of Eritrea]] has deployed troops into the Tigray National Regional State, using their military to fight in active combat against the TPLF.<ref>[https://www.reuters.com/article/us-ethiopia-conflict-idUSKBN2BF1NT Ethiopian PM confirms Eritrean troops entered Tigray during conflict]</ref> While the Eritrean government promised to pull their troops out of Tigray in April of 2021, they have yet to withdraw from the conflict.<ref>[https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/4/17/eritrea-confirms-its-troops-are-fighting-ethiopias-tigray Eritrea confirms its troops are fighting in Ethiopia’s Tigray]</ref>
+The [[Eritrea|State of Eritrea]] has deployed troops into the Tigray National Regional State, using their military to fight in active combat against the TPLF.<ref>[https://www.reuters.com/article/us-ethiopia-conflict-idUSKBN2BF1NT Ethiopian PM confirms Eritrean troops entered Tigray during conflict]</ref>
 === United Arab Emirates ===
@@ Line 26: / Line 26: @@
 === United States of America ===
-Prior to the war, the [[United States of America]] was a firm ally of Ethiopia. Initially, the [[Donald Trump|Trump]] administration didn't take any action during the conflict when it began in November of 2020. After the [[Joe Biden|Biden]] administration came to power in January of 2021, the United States began advocating for setting up humanitarian corridors. Despite this, Biden has still refused to condemn the Ethiopian government's war crimes in the conflict.<ref>[https://www.nytimes.com/2021/02/26/world/middleeast/ethiopia-tigray-ethnic-cleansing.html Ethiopia’s War Leads to Ethnic Cleansing in Tigray Region, U.S. Report Says]</ref> Eritrea has alleged that the United States is supporting the TPLF,<ref>[https://apnews.com/article/united-nations-eritrea-africa-98aa53d5ca10d5cd1992209ad4bbcb57 Eritrea blames US support for Tigray’s leaders for the war]</ref> however these allegations contradict the actual actions taken by the Biden administration.
 == Conflicting Interpretations of the War ==
+== War crimes and effects on civillian population ==
-== War crimes ==
 [[File:Mekele.jpg|thumb|Aftermath of an Ethiopian airstrike in [[Mekelle]], the capital of the Tigray National Region State.]]
 === Airstrikes on civilians ===
@@ Line 36: / Line 33: @@
 Both Ethiopian and Eritriean forces have engaged in air strikes against civilians in the Tigray National Regional State.<ref>[https://www.hrw.org/news/2021/02/11/ethiopia-unlawful-shelling-tigray-urban-areas Ethiopia: Unlawful Shelling of Tigray Urban Areas]</ref>
-=== Ethnic cleansing ===
+=== Massacres ===
-{{Main article|Ethnic cleansing}}
-Over the course of the Tigray War, the Ethiopian government under Abiy Ahmed has taken actions of [[ethnic cleansing]] against the Tigrayan people, forcing them out of the military regardless of loyalty.<ref name=":1" /> Abiy Ahmed has also purged ethnic Tigrayans from the government.<ref name=":0">[https://www.marxist.com/ethiopia-s-tigray-crisis-socialism-or-barbarism.htm Ethiopia’s Tigray crisis: Socialism or barbarism]</ref> In the western parts of the Tigray National Regional State, Ethiopian forces have taken actions of ethnic cleansing against regular civilians.<ref>[https://www.hrw.org/news/2022/04/06/crimes-against-humanity-and-ethnic-cleansing-ethiopias-western-tigray-zone Crimes against Humanity and Ethnic Cleansing in Ethiopia’s Western Tigray Zone]</ref> The Ethiopian government has tried to hide evidence of ethnic celansing back blocking telecommunications with Tigray.<ref>[https://www.vox.com/22370629/ethiopia-tigray-eritrea-amhara-war-ethnic-cleansing “Dying by blood or by hunger”: The war in Ethiopia’s Tigray region, explained]</ref>
+=== Sexual violence ===
-=== Genocide ===
+=== Ethnic profiling ===
-{{Main article|Genocide}}
+There have been report of ethnic Tigrayans being forced out of the military regardless of loyalty<ref name=":1" />, and purges of ethnic Tigrayans from the government.<ref name=":0">[https://www.marxist.com/ethiopia-s-tigray-crisis-socialism-or-barbarism.htm Ethiopia’s Tigray crisis: Socialism or barbarism]</ref>
-As the Tigray War has continued to become more brutal since its opening in November of 2020, the Ethiopian government has escalated the war into a [[genocide]] of ethnic Tigrayans. As of May of 2022, the genocide has claimed 500,000 victims.<ref>[https://www.thenation.com/article/world/genocide-in-tigray/ There’s Genocide in Tigray, but Nobody’s Talking About it]</ref>
 == Aftermath of the War ==