By Staff Reporter
November 17, 2020 (Ezega.com) -- Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed on Tuesday announced the end of the three-day surrender deadline his government has given to Tigray Special Forces and militia to lay down arms.
There are no reports of members of the Tigray special force and militia have given hands to the federal army following the premier’s call except those fighters who have surrendered amid battles in different places of Tigray.
In a message conveyed in Tigrigna language three days ago, Prime Minister Abiy called upon the Tigray Special Forces and militia in Mekele to save their lives and help the national defense forces apprehended TPLF leaders without causing casualties.
“The call for the Tigray Special Forces and militia to save themselves and the people around them, as Tigray People Liberation Front’s evil goals has come to an end," Prime Minister Abiy said in a Facebook post on Tuesday morning.
The warning comes as troops from both sides are at war in different places along the borders between Tigray and its neighbors, including Amhara and Eritrea.
War specialists claim Ethiopia will slide into civil war if the fighting between forces loyal to the federal government and the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF) continues.
Following the expiration of the 72 hours deadline, final and decisive law enforcement operations will be taken in the coming days, PM Abiy said.
The Prime Minister also extended his gratitude to those who took advantage of the call for their responsible decision to surrender to the defense forces and save their people.
The government in Addis Ababa and the TPLF accuse one another of starting the conflict. Abiy has said that army officers were murdered in cold blood.
In a recent statement, the Tigrayan leader Debretsion Gebremichael said there was a coordinated attack by Ethiopian Special Forces and troops from neighboring Eritrea. Debretsion accused PM Abiy Ahmed of treason. Debretsion also said his army has captured thousands of fleeing troops from both Eritrea and Ethiopia and also seized a lot of light and heavy weaponry. Further, he said the Tigray army will transition from defense to offense in the coming days.
Meanwhile, the federal army has disclosed it freed the Raya zone in southern Tigray bordering Amhara, including places called Chercher, Gugufta and Mehonin districts in the eastern part of Tigray, and seized several types of armaments.
In another development, Ethiopians all over the country honored the National Defence Forces with 2 minutes of observance starting from 11:30 AM this morning.
Responding to the national call, all Ethiopians across the country have taken part in the two minutes national ceremony held under the motto “I Stand With the National Defence Force” placing their hands on their right heart for one minute and clapping hands for another one minute at the same time wherever they are.
Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed and President Sahle-Work Zewde along with other high-level government officials joined the national 2-minute observance held to honor the National Defence Forces.
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