BY TESFANEWS
Weeks after ending law enforcement operations in the Tigray region, the Ethiopian National Defense Force (ENDF) continued to arrest members of the outlawed Tigray People’s Liberation Front.
Yesterday, the ENDF detained the founding member and most senior living member of the TPLF, Sebahat Nega, along with seven other individuals, including two colonels, who had defected from the national army.
The fugitive was captured hiding in a ravine where it was extremely difficult to reach, ENDF Deployment Department Head, Brigadier General Tesfaye Ayalew, told the Ethiopian News Agency.
Sebahat Nega is now amongst dozens of TPLF leaders captured by the army earlier this week.
Three days ago, the ENDF disclosed it had captured former officials of the front hiding inside a cave, valleys, and in farmer’s houses.
This includes Solomon Kidane, former deputy mayor of Addis Ababa; Tekelewoyni, Former CEO of Relief Society of Tigray and Abadi Zemu; Kidusan Nega, former Speaker of Tigray region and one of his siblings of Sebahat Nega.
“As promised, the gallant ENDF in collaboration with other security institutions has made the vast exploration of desert, valleys, and mountains of Tembein to discover the hideouts of the hiding TPLF clique ringleaders,” Gen.Tesfaye underscored.
The hideouts of Sebhat Nega has been discovered by a close raid undertaken jointly by the Federal Police and the ENDF, Gen. Tesfaye stated to ENA.
Security measures were taken against those who refused to surrender. Bodyguards who were escorting the fugitive leaders have been killed while trying to defend their bosses.
Sekuture Getachew, a former senior official of Tigray, who admitted TPLF forces start the war in Tigray by preemptively attacked the North command of the National Army, is among those who have been killed after refusing to surrender.
The former director of the Ethiopian Broadcasting Authority and a journalist close to the party, Abebe Asgedom, were also killed.
The whereabouts of TPLF leader, Debretsion Gebremichael, and other leaders of the party is not known. Some of them are believed to be killed while on the run.
The army is offering a reward of 10 million Ethiopian birr (roughly $250,000) for information leading to their capture.