Timeline: Fourth Phase of the Tigray War
This timeline is about the fourth phase of the Tigray War. We can see the Tigray war in three phases: the first phase being from November 2020 (the start of war) until the recapture of Mekelle by TDF in Operation Alula, the second phase from the recapture of Mekelle to TDF’s march to near Debre Birhan and then withdrawal to Tigray, the third phase from withdrawal to Tigray and until resumption of active war in August 2022 where blockade, starvation and shutdown of services were employed, and the fourth phase the active war from August 2022, after efforts for negotiation following the unilateral “humanitarian truce” failed. The timeline is about the fourth phase. The timeline is updated at the top (oldest events are at the bottom, and the latest at the top).
March 20 , 2023
US determines Crimes against humanity in Tigray
– Ethiopian, Eritrean and Amhara forces committed crimes against humanity and war crimes. Amhara forces committed ethnic cleansing. TPLF forces committed war crimes. [Ethiopia, Eritrea, Blinken]
– Ethiopia angry on the USD report [MFA] and blocks USD website [AddisInsight]
October 30, 2022
Ethiopian soldiers film themselves committing crimes, An Eritrean regime supporter says erasing Tigray from map
– An Ethiopian soldier “We have come this far wiping out Tigrayans along the way”
Ethiopian soldiers torching a town. “Burn it down; burn the entire town!”
– Ethiopian soldiers looting humanitarian aid
– Ethiopian soldiers firing artillery [original video post ]
– Fano Misgan Dessie sayying “We will eradicate the lice-infested Tigrayans“. After that, he is seen in Alamata where he say there is no one in Almata. Earlier, he has given several interviews where he showed his desire to kill Tigrayans. [With Sisay Gobezie, Kombolcha Fano Graduation]
– An Eritrean regime supporter says with a SBS Tigrinya Australia that Tigray should be erased from world map and that Eritrea is in Ethiopia at the invitation of Ethiopia [audio, excerpt].
– Tigray-Ethiopia Peace Talk in SA was supposed to end today, but no update nor result on that (yet) [Reuters]
October 28, 2022
Canadian House of Commons on Tigray
– Subcommittee on international Human Rights of the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Development of the House of Commons, Parliament of Canada [Mukush Kapila ]
– Commander of Tigray Forces briefs media [English]
October 21, 2022
UN SC closed meeting
– The UN SC held a closed meeting on Tigray/Ethiopia.
– Meeting requested by A3 (Kenya, Ghana, Gabon) [Statement by A3]
– Statement by AU envoy Olusegun Obasanjo
– Press Statement of the 1115th Meeting of the Peace and Security Council, on the Briefing of the African Union (AU)-led Peace Process for Ethiopia
October 20, 2022
– Ethiopia breaks the news that postponed AU-talks are to happen in South Africa.
October 17, 2022
– Statement by Alice Wairimu Nderitu, Special Adviser on the Prevention of Genocide, condemning the recent escalation of fighting in Ethiopia
– UN Secretary-General media stakeout on Tigray-Ethiopia
September 25, 2022
Abiy Regime dronstrike hits WFP lory
– The Abiy regime drone strike hits a WFP lory traveling from Shire to Zana [1]
September 20, 2022
SEHOA press briefing, Eritrea launches offensive
– Eritrea launches large-scale offensive against Tigray [TDF, Al JAzeera]
– SEHOA Mike Hammer gives press briefing and condemns Eritrea for its involvement.
– Ethiopia rejects ICHREE report [VoA]
September 19, 2022
ICHREE Report
_ ICHREE releases a report on Ethiopia accusing ENDF and regional forces have committed war crimes and crimes against humanity in Tigray
September 9, 2022
Peace Day or War Day?
_ Abiy Regime lashes out at International Commission of Human Rights Experts on Ethiopia for the later stating that it welcomes “the decision of the UN Security Council discuss the situation in Ethiopia as a matter of urgency”
– Biden extends National Emergency with Respect to Ethiopia
September 6, 2022
_ Ethiopia bans 30+ civil society organizations (CSOs) from calling for peace.
_
September 2, 2022
Diaspora Ethiopians asked to donate
_ Ethiopia asks diaspora to donate money to the support the war, but in the name of development.
September 1, 2022
More Offensives and Accusations
_ ENDF and EDF launch a joint attack on Adiabo (North Western Tigray) front. [Tigray Military Command, Reuters, Eritrean Ambassador].
– Abiy Regime engages in doublespeak and accusations of Tigray Government [Government Com ,Government Com]
– Arrest of Tigrayans in Addis [Reuters]
August 31, 2022
More Offensives and Accusations
_ Abiy regime accuses Tigray of starting another war front in Western Tigray
– Tigray says Abiy Regime’s forces have started offensive in Finarwha and also shelled Adiabo together with Eritrean forces. Tigray also says ENDF’s Eastern Command and Eritrean Army are making preparations for large-scale offensive.
August 30, 2022
Mass Arrest of Tigrayan in Addis, Drone Strikes in Mekelle
_ Mass arrest of Tigrayan in Addis. Hailu Kebede of Salsay Weyane arrested.
– Ethiopian Airlines involved (again) in the war on Tigray
– Drone Strikes hit Mekelle General Hospital [1, 2, 3, ] and near an IDP Center in Hamiday area
August 27, 2022
Tigray Army captures Kobo and surrounding in counter-offensive
– TDF says it repulsed offensive and captured Kobo and surrounding. It adds that ENDF’s Eastern Command crossed from Western Tigray to Eritrea and camped at Awgaro
August 26, 2022
Airstrike hits playground, kindergarten and a residential area
– The airstrike killed at least 7, three of whom are children [1, 2].
– Following the attack, the Abiy Regime announces it would attack military equipments and training centers and advises Tigrayans to stay away from them, but it doesn’t specify them.
August 24, 2022
Abiy Regime launches offensive in Southern Tigray, Suspends humanitarian aid to Tigray
– On 8:47 PM Aug 24, 2022, the Abiy regime demanded that WFP and OCHA issue statements condemning the TPLF.
– Within less than three hours, the WFP chief, David Beasley accuses Tigrayan authorities of “stealing 570,000 liters of fuel” from WFP in Mekelle.
– Tigray responds saying it reclaimed fuel it lent to WFP.
Tigray Army’s Military Command announces [1, 2] that the Abiy Regime has started offensive in the Southern Front.
– The Abiy Regime also accuses Tigray of starting war.
– Deliveries of humanitarian supplies by road into Tigray suspended.
– Abiy Regime claims [Redwan, National Security Advisor, EBC] it has downed a plane entering Tigray from Sudan.
– Tigray says it is false. See also Gerjon.
August 23, 2022
Tigray President Debretsion writes open Letter to International Community
In his open letter, he raises several points why mediation was failing and calls for swift action by IC actors.
August 22, 2022
Getachew Reda, Executive committee member and spokesperson for the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) writes an article.
In the article, he argues why the AU under the current leadership cannot lead negotiation and calls for IC action and some role for AU.
August 17, 2022
Tigray realeases a statement accusing the Abiy Regime of attacking Tigray Army forces in Western Tigray, Dedebit area
The statement says the attack was ordered from top authorities and that it was not a isolated act.
August 4, 2022
The Abiy Regime takes an issue with the US and EU Joint Press Statement
The regime expressed “dismay at course chosen by team of envoys & Ambs in handling the matter when in Mekele”. It disgreed with the resumption of services and said it on AU-led negotiation is possible
August 2, 2022
U.S and EU Joint Press Statement from Mekelle, Tigray
US and EU envoys traveled on their first joint mission to Mekelle to encourage the launch of talks between Tigray Government and the Abiy Ahmed government, and released a press release announcing that they agreed the neeed for the swift restoration of electricity, telecom, banking, and other basic services in Tigray and that the Tigray Regional President Debretsion provided the international community a letter to be passed to the Government of Ethiopia providing security guarantees for those who need to work to restore services. See also Tigray Government’s statement on the joint visit.
