Tigray Battle Looms on Sudan's Border

A fighter in Hawazin, Tigray, under the forces of the Tigray Liberation Front (AP)
A fighter in Hawazin, Tigray, under the forces of the Tigray Liberation Front (AP)
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Tigray Battle Looms on Sudan's Border

A fighter in Hawazin, Tigray, under the forces of the Tigray Liberation Front (AP)
A fighter in Hawazin, Tigray, under the forces of the Tigray Liberation Front (AP)

The Tigray People's Liberation Front took control over the Lalibela city as part of the military activity and the fighting that erupted since July 27th with the Ethiopian government forces.

The government forces withdrew militarily from parts of northern Ethiopia, including the capital, Mekele.

Lalibela is a UNESCO World Heritage site and translates from Agew "He Eats Honey." The city is known for its rock-hewn churches, which are attributed to King Lalibela.

Before entering Lalibela, the Front carried out operations that extended to the Afar region, to the east of Tigray, and the Amhara region in the southern front, in what was known as the "Tigray Mothers" operation.

Now that the forces have entered Lalibela, the rebel front is ultimately stationed 500 km away from Addis Ababa and has advanced from its center in Tigray about 400 km.

In the Afar Front to the east, and due to circumstances related to the open desert nature of the region, the Liberation Front was stationed at the city border between the two areas, such as Ewa and Shivrao. The battles led to the displacement of about 10,000 people.

Despite the rapid progress of the Tigray Forces on all fronts, information about the actual field situation is still conflicting, as no independent sources are confirming the allegations of the two parties.

However, several voices criticized the Ethiopian Federal Army and its allied forces for retreating and allowing the easy advance of the Tigray forces, confirming the passage of the rebels.

The Tigray Liberation Front took control over Mount Juna in the Amhara front. According to reports, they were close to storming Debre Tabor, opening the way to Bahir Dar, the capital of Amhara.

The Federal Government in Addis Ababa and the Amhara Regional government did not confirm the allegations and movements of the Tigray forces.

They only issued statements claiming that the situation was under control and that the "terrorist group" members were carrying out operations. Government and regional forces and volunteers in the "Fano" militia responded to the attack.

The Federal Parliament classified the "Tigray Liberation Front" as a terrorist organization.

As of last week, a number of the administrations of significant cities in Amhara imposed a curfew indefinitely limiting residents' movements, except for the security services and medical vehicles.

The Amhara government attributed these decisions to security considerations aimed at preserving public safety against the attacks of Tigray forces.

Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed called upon Ethiopians to volunteer in the army to repel the forces of the Liberation Front. There were also blood donation and popular mobilization campaigns.

However, with all this progress and the development, it is still unclear what the Tigray Liberation Front intends to do and whether its escalatory approach was heading to invade the capital, Addis Ababa.

Several experts on Ethiopian affairs told Asharq Al-Awsat that the primary battle between the two parties would be in west Tigray, on the border between northern Ethiopia and Sudan.

Given the tense relations between Khartoum and Addis Ababa, Ethiopian forces are enhancing their control over the area to prevent the Tigrayan forces from obtaining foreign support.

In addition, Addis Ababa officially refused the United Nations' request to enter humanitarian aid and relief from the country's western crossing.

The ambiguous administrative situation of some cities, such as al-Hamra and Lakayet, which are disputed between the Amhara and Tigray, play a significant role in complicating the military and political developments.

The cities were annexed to the Northern Territory in the mid-1990s during the era of the late Prime Minister Meles Zenawi.



US Mideast Envoy: Trump's Gaza Plan is About Better Prospects, Not Eviction

MIAMI BEACH, FLORIDA - FEBRUARY 20: Steven Charles Witkoff, Middle East Envoy, Government of the United States, speaks during the second day of the FII PRIORITY Summit held at the Faena Hotel on February 20, 2025 in Miami Beach, Florida. Joe Raedle/Getty Images/AFP
MIAMI BEACH, FLORIDA - FEBRUARY 20: Steven Charles Witkoff, Middle East Envoy, Government of the United States, speaks during the second day of the FII PRIORITY Summit held at the Faena Hotel on February 20, 2025 in Miami Beach, Florida. Joe Raedle/Getty Images/AFP
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US Mideast Envoy: Trump's Gaza Plan is About Better Prospects, Not Eviction

MIAMI BEACH, FLORIDA - FEBRUARY 20: Steven Charles Witkoff, Middle East Envoy, Government of the United States, speaks during the second day of the FII PRIORITY Summit held at the Faena Hotel on February 20, 2025 in Miami Beach, Florida. Joe Raedle/Getty Images/AFP
MIAMI BEACH, FLORIDA - FEBRUARY 20: Steven Charles Witkoff, Middle East Envoy, Government of the United States, speaks during the second day of the FII PRIORITY Summit held at the Faena Hotel on February 20, 2025 in Miami Beach, Florida. Joe Raedle/Getty Images/AFP

The United States' envoy to the Middle East said on Thursday that President Donald Trump's plan for Gaza was not about evicting Palestinians, and the conversation about Gaza's future was being shifted towards how to create a better future for Palestinians.
Trump proposed on February 4 the US should take over Gaza, with Palestinians resettled in other places including Egypt and Jordan, a suggestion which caused an international outcry.
However, speaking at a Miami conference hosted by a non-profit, US envoy Steven Witkoff said that Trump's comments on Gaza were more about trying different solutions to those proposed over the previous 50 years, Reuters reported.
He said that the war between Israel and Hamas has left much of Gaza destroyed and littered with unexploded ordnance, and it was impossible to see how people could return.
"It's going to take a lot of clean-up and imagination, and a great master plan, and that doesn't mean we're on an eviction plan, when the President talks about this," Steven Witkoff told the FII Institute event.
"It means he wants to shake up everyone's thinking, and think about what is compelling and what is the best solution for the Palestinian people.
"For instance, do they want to live in a home there, or would they rather have an opportunity to resettle in some sort of better place, to have jobs, upside and financial prospects," he added.