Ethiopia’s Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed announced the end of military operations in Tigray on Saturday evening after the government soldiers entered the regional capital, Mekelle.
“I am pleased to share that we have completed and ceased the military operations in the Tigray region,” he said.
In a statement on Twitter, Abiy said the army was in full control of Mekelle and that this “marks the completion of the Ethiopian National Forces’ last phase”.
The advance on Mekelle came almost a week after Abiy told the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) leadership to surrender or face an assault on their stronghold.
The army had secured the release of thousands of soldiers taken by the TPLF and was in control of the airport, public institutions, the regional administration office and other criticial facilties, Abiy said, adding that the operation had been carried out with “precision and due care for citizens”.
Federal police were searching for the leaders of the Tigray People’s Liberation Front and would bring them to the court of law, the prime minister said.
Hours after the government declared military operations in Tigray complete, TPLF leader Debretsion Gebremichael said his forces will continue fighting, saying “This is about defending our right to self determination.”
In a text message to Reuters, Debretsion said the federal forces’ “brutality can only add [to] our resolve to fight these invaders to the last.”
My phone is ringing off the hook!
Would everyone of you just shut up! My phone is ringing! There is no name on the caller ID though. It must be an overseas call! Blingring, blingring, blingring!
Hello! Who is this? May be it is from one of my Taiwanese friends. Wei! Wei! No answer!
Hello! Who is this?
Hi Ittu! It is me Debre!
Hi Debre! Hayudoin?
Not bad, not good!
What happened? I heard you are winning the war!
No exactly. We are winning but not exactly.
What do you mean exactly?
Well Jula and his soldiers are in town. I can hear their voice and footsteps. That is the most terrifying noise I’ve have heard my entire life.
Why are you calling me now? You should be busy hiding, running away. I tell you that Jula and Abiy turned out to the incarnate of Dinagde, Tekle of Gojjam, Mikaeel of Barentu, Mengesha of Tigre, Omar Samatar of Somali, Ali Mirah of Afar and 80 other patriots from the Battle of Adwa all rolled into one!
Well I know that now. The reason I am calling is if you can locate the ten digits of the new Security Advisor Jake Sullivan and my old pal Susannah!
No I don’t have their numbers?
How about Juliani?
You mean Rudy Giuliani?
Yeah!
I’m sorry I don’t have his number either!
O’ grief! They are right outside my front door!
Who?
Who else? Jula’s soldiers! Let me go to the washroom. My stomach has been very sour lately! O’ my god! Don’t shoot! I am the golden race! I can make you a golden race too! Don’t shoot please! Please, please, I am begging you! Down on my knees!!! Please don’t shoot!!!
And the phone got rudely cut off! Them rascals!!! Poor Debre! He forgot what his father told him when he was a young boy. Don’t pick a fight when you know you get embarrassingly kicked in the $$$.
Ok everyone, you can go back talking now. I’ve finished talking to Fugitive Debre!!! It’s over!
Instead, I want you all to stand up and sing along with me the following to the tune of America The Beautiful!!!
Ethiopia, Ethiopia may God thy gold refine
‘Til all success be nobleness
And every gain divined
And you know when I was in school
We used to sing it something like this, listen here
Oh beautiful, for spacious skies
For amber waves of grain
For purple mountain majesties
Above the fruited plain
But now wait a minute, I’m talking about
Ethiopia, sweet Ethiopia
You know, God done shed his grace on thee!!!!
Thank you! Thank you! Take a bow, patriots! It is a bright shinning day!!!