Leader of Ethiopia's Tigray region claims responsibility for Eritrea strike

[muriel_volestrangler]

Reported rocket strikes near Asmara’s International Airport raise fears of wider conflict in Horn of Africa

The leader of the Tigray region of Ethiopia has claimed responsibility for rocket strikes on the airport in neighbouring Eritrea’s capital, Asmara, in a move that ratcheted up fears of a wider conflict in the Horn of Africa.

Multiple rockets struck on Saturday night the capital, diplomats said, though communication restrictions in Tigray and Eritrea made the reports difficult to verify.

Earlier this month, the Ethiopian prime minister, Abiy Ahmed, ordered military operations in Tigray in a dramatic escalation of a long-running feud with the region’s ruling party, the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF).

“Ethiopian forces are also using the airport of Asmara,” said TPLF leader Debretsion Gebremichael, adding this made the airport a “legitimate target” for the strikes.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/nov/15/leader-of-ethiopias-tigray-region-claims-responsibility-for-eritrea-strike

Reminder: just a year ago, the Ethiopian PM won the Nobel Peace Prize, in particular for resolving his country's conflict with Eritrea. Now, there's a civil war dragging Eritrea into it:

The Norwegian Nobel Committee has decided to award the Nobel Peace Prize for 2019 to Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Ali for his efforts to achieve peace and international cooperation, and in particular for his decisive initiative to resolve the border conflict with neighbouring Eritrea. The prize is also meant to recognise all the stakeholders working for peace and reconciliation in Ethiopia and in the East and Northeast African regions.

https://www.nobelprize.org/prizes/peace/2019/press-release/

[applegrove]

1. Oh ****!