Ethiopia's Tigray Conflict

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Tigray: UAE drones supports Ethiopia​

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It appears that the United Arab Emirates have begun conducting drone strikes against Tigray with its Wing Loong II UCAVs stationed in Eritrea.

Tigray and TPLF leader Getachew Ruda today in a recent tweet claimed that United Arab Emirates UAVs are supporting Ethiopian forces and Assab city of Eritrea is serving as drone base for UAE.

Fighting between Ethiopian forces and Tigray fighters in Tigray region of Ethiopia continues unabated, on Sunday 15 November, leader of the TPLF Debretsion Gebremichael said that his forces fired a volley of rockets at neighbouring Eritrea’s capital, Asmara.


“Those who attack Tigray will not just attack and return home. We will retaliate while they are here, and strike the airports from which they launched attacks,” said Debretsion. “There is no place that we can’t reach and we will continue to attack selected targets that the invading forces are using against us.”

Regarding the drone strikes, the UAE is known to operate a clandestine drone base in Assab airport, in Eritrea to support military operations across the Red Sea in Yemen, and has deployed several Wing Loong II unmanned combat aerial vehicles it acquired from China.

The UAE purchased a Wing Loong II from China in 2017, and Predator drones from the US in 2013. Also, UAE possess the indigenously produced United 40 UCAV which first flew in 2013, and has ordered additional Seeker 400 UAVs from South Africa.

Satellite imagery from DigitalGlobe images taken from 3 August 2018 shows a Wing Loong II UCAV deployed in Assab Airport, Eritrea.

Prior to the deployment, Eritrean and the United Arab Emirates Air Force officials constructed two new 26×21 metres aircraft shelters in early March of that year.
UAE Air Force Dassault Mirage 2000 jets and IOMAX Archangel turboprops are also housed in the shelter.

Several UAE operated Wing Loong II UCAVs are also in Libya on the side of the Libyan National Army, with some lost to ground fire and electronic warfare activities.

 

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Ethiopia reveals drones used in Tigray war​

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As intense fighting in Ethiopia’s northern Tigray region continues unabated, thousands of civilians have fled to neigboring Sudan as the Ethiopian army advances to capture the Tigrayan regional capital of Mekelle.

Tigray and TPLF leader Getachew Reda claimed that the United Arab Emirates armed drones are supporting Ethiopian forces through it’s drone base in Assab city, Eritrea.

According to him, “Abiy Ahmed Ali is now enlisting the support of UAE drones based in Assab in his devastating war against the people of Tigray. In the meantime, Tigray Defense Forces have targeted facilities in Eritrea including the Asmara airport that are being used to stage attacks on Tigray.”

In response to the allegation, Chief Commander of the Ethiopian Air Force, Maj. Gen. Yilma Merdas insists that Ethiopia is using its own fleet of drones against TPLF.
He subsequently displayed a plethora of both commercial and military grade surveillance drones, with the notable absence of any combat unmanned system.

Since 2015, there have been several media reports that Ethiopia had procured some Chinese CH-4 armed drones, yet so far no confirmation has been found which might indicate the presence of the drones at known Ethiopian military bases.


For a while now, the UAE is known to operate a secretive drone base in Assab airport, in Eritrea to support military operations across the Red Sea in Yemen, and has deployed several Chinese-made Wing Loong I unmanned combat aerial vehicles. In 2015, a Wing Loong drone was spotted at the Assab airbase.

 

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Ethiopia PM threatens military offensive, gives Tigray region 72-hour ultimatum​


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Ethiopia’s prime minister has issued an ultimatum to Tigrayan regional forces to surrender or face a military offensive on the state’s capital of Mekele.

"Your journey of destruction is coming to an end, and we urge you to surrender peacefully within the next 72 hours, recognizing you are at a point of no return," Abiy Ahmed said in a statement aimed at the leaders of the TPLF party.
"Take this last opportunity," he added.
The Ethiopian army has been battling local forces in Tigray since conflict broke out on November 4, when Abiy sent the national defense force into the area, after accusing local forces of attacking a military base there.

Hundreds of people have been killed and thousands have fled to Sudan since then. A blackout of internet and phone communications in the region has made it difficult to confirm a death toll and reports of violence.

Tigray is the northernmost of Ethiopia’s nine regional states. Tensions have been building in the region since September 9 when Tigray defiantly held a regional election after Abiy postponed the polls, citing the coronavirus pandemic.

 

Madokafc

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Egypt maybe had a hand in this sudden escalation, there is almost pin point rocket attack against Eritrean Air base from Tigray area, in which need precision rocket system, guidance system, intelligent network and so on. I don't see any regional power in Horn of Africa, even including Kenya, Ethiopia and Uganda capable to do such thing which involve complex action and feedback.

Egypt and Sudan maybe can fishing in the murky water and without commited much of their resources to obstruct the Ethiopian Dan and finally severed Ethiopia for good
 

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EnWcRvLW8AcVpVP


Ethiopia religious map:
Greens Muslim
Light red Christian (Protestant)
Purple Christian (Orthodox)
Orange Local religions


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Ethiopia ethnic map:

Ethiopia is like the Ottoman Empire and the Austro-Hungarian Empire.

Too diverse, too many clans and tribes and too many different religions and ethnic groups.

A combustible mix.
 

Fuzuli NL

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Ethiopia is like the Ottoman Empire and the Austro-Hungarian Empire.

Too diverse, too many clans and tribes and too many different religions and ethnic groups.

A combustible mix.
That's almost every single African country.
Colonialists made sure to draw border lines where there would be dispute between ethnic groups or tribes.
Divide and conquer.
 

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Ethiopia's Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed says government forces are now "fully in control" of the regional capital of the northern Tigray region.

The army earlier entered Mekelle as it stepped up its offensive against the Tigray People's Liberation Front.
The leader of the TPLF told Reuters it would continue to "defend our right to self-determination" and "fight these invaders to the last".

Hundreds have been killed and thousands displaced in the conflict.

It began earlier this month after Mr Abiy announced an operation against the TPLF, the regional party, accusing it of attacking the Ethiopian army's northern command HQ in Mekelle.

(more at link)
 

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