Ethiopian PM says ongoing military operation in Tigray 'progressing well'

Tigray migrants

Ethiopian migrants who fled intense fighting in Tigray cook their meal at the border reception center of Hamdiyet on November 14, 2020.

Photo credit: Ebrahim Hamid | AFP

Addis Ababa

Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed on Sunday said that the ongoing military operation in the country's northern Tigray regional state "is progressing well".

"Our campaign in the Tigray region to uphold rule of law is progressing well. Justice will prevail. Ethiopia will prevail," Abiy said on Sunday.

"By advancing rule of law and holding accountable those that have been looting, destabilising Ethiopia, we will lay the foundation for lasting peace and harmony."

"Those who are committing crimes against humanity and peace will be held accountable. We remain steadfast in our resolve to justice and rule of law," said the Ethiopian premier.

"Thanks to the exceptional valour and commitment of its sons and daughters, Ethiopia is more than capable of attaining the objectives of the operation by itself," he added.

Since the early hours of November 4, the Ethiopian government has been undertaking military operations against the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF).

The Ethiopian government has been accusing the TPLF, which was one of the four coalition fronts of Ethiopia's former ruling party, the Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF), of masterminding various treasonous acts across different parts of the country with an overarching goal of destabilising the East African country.

The mounting disputes between the federal government and the TPLF were exacerbated in September this year when the Tigray regional government decided to go ahead with its planned regional elections, which the Ethiopian parliament had previously postponed due to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic.