Despite Tigrayan forces expressing readiness for another ceasefire with the Ethiopian government, last Tuesday, one person was wounded after drone strikes hit Mekelle University and a TV station in the Tigray region.
Tuesday’s strikes hit the business campus of Mekelle University and the Dimitsi Woyane TV station that is run by the Tigray regional government. One man wounded in the strikes was taken to Ayder Referral Hospital.
This was the third instance of aerial strikes on Mekelle since fighting resumed after a five-month ceasefire ended late last month.
Each side is blaming the other for the renewed fighting.
On Sunday, the Tigray People’s Liberation Front said it was prepared for a further ceasefire without preconditions and would accept an African Union-led peace process, a move diplomats described as a potential breakthrough.
However, the Ethiopian government has not officially responded to the offer. Although, launching two drone strikes two days later could be considered the government’s unofficial response.
The conflict in Tigray has often spilled into the neighboring regions of Amhara and Afar in Ethiopia.
Last week, two Amhara journalists were arrested after publicly criticizing the federal government. The journalists were accused of supporting the Tigray People’s Liberation Front and encouraging the people of Amhara to allow the TPLF to pass through their areas.
During a regional crackdown in May, journalists, politicians, and militia members were among the thousands arrested by the federal government, with some remaining in prison today.
