“I have completed the first chapter of the campaign”: Abiy Ahmed

After two weeks of roving battlefronts in the west, east and centre of the conflict zone, Ethiopian PM Mister Abiy Ahmed says he has completed the first chapter of the campaign.

Ethiopian PM Abiy Ahmed on Wednesday returned to office from the battle front in northern Ethiopia. He announced his return himself in a statement he released on his social media page.

“While heralding that sacrifice being paid in the battlefront will restore Ethiopia’s prestige of winning, I would like to thank in the name of Ethiopia all of you who have responded to the call [the call he made as he was ready to march to the battle front] and gave your life, your energy, your resource, you knowledge and your time,” he said in his message.

Abiy also explained why he cut his battlefront stay short and returned to office. “… I have completed the first chapter [ of the military campaign] and returned to office. Unless our enemies lose their energy, abandon hate and aggression and resort to the path to peace and love, our struggle will continue.”

His last video message from the battlefront was released on Monday via state and state affiliated media outlets in the country. He spoke about victories over Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) forces in the battles stretching from Kemissie to Dessie. Kemissie, Kombolcha and Dessie cities were cleared from the terrorist groups.

Before the Wollo front, he released video messages from the Kasagita battle front in the Afar region in the eastern front and then from the Gashena front in the western front. The invading TPLF forces had fortified stronghold trenches in both fronts but the Ethiopian Defence Force with the support of Afar and Amhara special forces, Fano and militia were able to rout them out.

According to a narrative from the government, the remaining TPLF forces are in disarray and looking for a way to escape from the encirclement of Ethiopian Forces.

The Prime Minister did not specify as to when he is returning to the battle front or as to when the second phase of the campaign is launching.

The TPLF forces are claiming that they did not lose the battle but retreated for “strategic reasons.” Mainstream media in the west, including CNN, were producing news claiming that the TPLF forces were in the outskirts of Addis Ababa.