NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) – The fugitive leader of Ethiopia’s controversial Tigray region has reportedly made his first public comments in three months, urging the international community on alleged “genocide” and other abuse by troops, including those from neighboring Eritrea.
It was not immediately possible to verify the audio commentary of Debretsion Gebremichael posted late Saturday by the Tigray-affiliated media Dimtsi Weyane. He has been on the run since shortly after fighting broke out in early November between Ethiopian and Allied forces and those of the Tigray region that had dominated the country’s government for nearly three decades.
But the comments seemed to point to the recent murders of other fugitive Tigray leaders. “Many have paid and many continue to pay the ultimate sacrifice,” Debretsion said.
He urged the residents of Tigray to “continue the fight” and vowed to do the same to those who “are working with all their might to destroy our existence and identity.”
The commentators also claimed widespread murder, rape, torture and deliberate famine. “They carry away what they can and burn what’s left,” he said.
A spokeswoman for Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed did not comment.
Abiy sidelined Tigray’s leaders after taking power in early 2018 and pushing through political reforms that led to him receiving the Nobel Peace Prize. But his government and the now fugitive Tigray began to view each other as illegal, especially after Ethiopia postponed its national elections to mid-2021 last year, citing the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Tigray conflict largely continues in the shadows. Some communication links are cut, residents are afraid to give details over the phone and almost all journalists are blocked. Thousands of people have died.
The Ethiopian government personally told Biden administration staff on Friday that Tigray has “ returned to normal ” and that more than 1 million people have been reached with help, but new witness reports describe terrified residents hiding in houses with bullets in the battle food shortages are still unknown.
Last week, the Biden government urged Eritrea to withdraw its soldiers “immediately” from Tigray, citing credible reports of looting, assault and other abuse. The Eritreans, along with Ethiopian forces, fought the Tigray forces.