Gov't Troops Withdrew from Tigray Because Terrorisit Group Is No More Threat to Nation: PM Abiy

Addis Ababa June 30/2021 (ENA) Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed revealed that the army withdrew from Tigray region because the terrorist TPLF group is no longer a threat to the country and the people residing in the region need time for reflection.

The was disclosed yesterday at a program held to express appreciation to journalists for effectively covering the 6th General Election.

The premier noted that the government entered Tigray region to conduct the law enforcement operation and successful work has been carried this regard.

Following the operation, the government carried out extensive rehabilitation and assistance works to protect the people of Tigray from harm, he elaborated.

He noted that efforts have also been made to repair infrastructures paying sacrifices.

According to him, military expenses aside, the government has spent over 100 billion Birr on infrastructure, health services, food and other related services in the region in the past eight months. And this is more than 13 times the state's total budget.

In spite of this commendable effort, the government has been blamed through campaigns waged by international institutions as the source of the problem, Abiy pointed out.

On other hand, the defense force effectively wiped out the armed group within a short period of time during the law enforcement operation and carried out similar measures against the newly regrouped bandit groups.

The problem the defense force faced at this juncture is different, according to the prime minister.

There is no armed force that confronts the defense force in its daily activities of protecting  residents of the region, he said, adding that the national army was being stabbed in the back by  the community it protects.

As this act has created bad feeling building up among the national army and the situation could stain indelible dark spot on the history of Ethiopia, the defense force has been withdrawn, he explained.

This period would also give time for reflection to the inhabitants of the region, the premier added.

Furthermore, Abiy revealed that residents of the region have been sharing the relief food given to them with the terrorist group.

They even gave the potable water that had been given to them reduced from the share of the defense forces to the terrorist group, he exposed.

After deeply examining the situation, therefore, the government decided to withdraw from  the region, the premier stated.

"We have, however, kept the national army at places we deem they should be stationed," Abiy said, adding that appropriate measures would be taken on any force that attempts to attack the army.

In this regard, the propaganda of the enemy that the national army has been defeated and pushed out of the region should not allowed to spread and there is a need to expose the lie, Abiy stressed.  

According to him, the regional capital Mekelle city is no more a center of gravity from a military point of view.

"Mekelle has lost its being a center of gravity. So leaving Mekelle is no different than leaving other unimportant places," he noted.