The AP this week cited witnesses who fled the Tigray region as saying Eritrean soldiers were looting, going house-to-house killing young men and even acting as local authorities. “It remains unclear how many Eritrean soldiers are in Tigray, or precisely where,” it says. Witnesses have estimated that the Eritrean soldiers number in the thousands. The US adds that “dialogue is essential between the government and Tigrayans.” Ethiopia’s government has rejected dialogue with the former Tigray leaders, seeing them as illegitimate, and has appointed an interim administration. The former Tigray leaders, in turn, objected to Ethiopia delaying a national election last year because of the COVID-19 pandemic and considered Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s mandate over.

Source: Ethiopian News January 27, 2021 08:15 UTC