Tigray Fires Rockets at Ethiopian Airports and Eritrea's Capital

The Conflict Gets Worse

The Tigrayan regional government has fired rockets at two airports in the neighbouring Amhara region in Ethiopia with spokesman Reda asserting that further retaliation could continue and even Asmara in Eritrea could be targeted.

The Ethiopian federal government confirmed that Gondar and Bahir Dar airports were damaged in the strikes late Friday — as the deadly conflict threatens to spread to not only other parts of Africa's second-most populous country but more areas in the horn of Africa.

Since the conflict began Nov 4th, reports from the Tigray region — still under a national state of emergency, see hundreds of people on both sides losing their lives and over 21,000 Ethiopians fleeing to neighbouring Eastern Sudan.

Many authorities in the international community who caution against inter-ethnic genocide fear a possible all-out civil war — compounded by the already chaélengiong Covid-19 pandemic. Update: November 15, 2020.

Rockets were fired at Eritrea's capital, Asmara, on Saturday, according to diplomats on the ground —  hours after the Tigray regional government warned of a possible attack in claimed defence against the military operation underway by the Ethiopian federal government.

Getachew Reda, Tigray Central Command spokesperson, gave a public address,  "In addition, we will conduct missile attacks to foil military movements in Massawa and Asmara. We will undertake every other kind of measure to foil efforts to subjugate the Tigray people, inside Tigray or other places being done by PP and Shabeia partners."

Experts had warned that the conflict could reach Eritrea, long at bitter odds with the Tigray, and many in the international community fear the violence could spread to even more areas in the horn of Africa.

Reda continued,  "With regards to the Eritrean government, even though our Eritrean brothers and the army undertook numerous efforts to stop the war, Isaias Afwerki and Abiy Ahmed believe they have no option but to profit from the chaos. To stop these critical infrastructures including military targets including those in cities we will strike as targets."

The Tigray region is still under a national state of emergency with severed communication and transportation links. Since the conflict began Nov 4th, reports state hundreds of people on both sides have lost their lives and around 25,000 Ethiopian refugees have fled to neighbouring Eastern Sudan. 

It appears neither side is ready to back down and the socio-political crisis threatens ethnic genocide and a possible civil war.