Tigrayan Capital Faces “Decisive Battle” As Ethiopian Forces Gather

Ethiopia’s military last night told over 300,000 civilians in the city of Mekele, to escape while they can as the nation’s forces gathered ahead of an assault on the administrative capital of the Tigray region.

Speaking to Ethiopian media, military spokesman Dejene Tsegaye said “The next decisive battle is to surround Mekele with tanks,” adding “Save yourself. A directive has been communicated for you to dissociate yourself from this junta, after that there will be no mercy.”

In recent days, “(D)efence forces have controlled Edaga Hamus city, which is on the road from Adigrat to Mekele,” a government agency known as the Ethiopia State of Emergency Fact Check has said in the past 24 hours, adding “The defence forces are currently marching on the campaign’s last goal, Mekele city.”

Reports now indicate that the TPLF leader, Debretsion Gebremichael has promised “fierce fighting” against the Ethiopian state military, warning that “They’ll continue to pay for every move,” adding that “(a)s long as the occupation force is in Tigray, fighting will not stop.”