Ethiopia marches suspected child soldiers as TDF responds
NAIROBI, Kenya – Ethiopian federal government marches suspected child soldiers fighting on behalf of the Tigray Defense Forces [TDF] but the separatist faction defended itself, accusing Addis Ababa of propaganda.
According to the Ethiopian National Defense Forces [ENDF], TDF fighters used child soldiers in their quest to control the conflict-prone region of Tigray in the latest development that could change the shape of the Tigray War narrative.
The ENDF claimed that children captured in various woredas in the Fenti-Resu area of Afar region said the arrogant war waged by the junta demonstrated to the world the shameful and inhumane nature of the group.
The National Defense Force, which is involved in the law enforcement operation, said it captured many child soldiers on the war front. But on the contrary, TDF sportsman Getachew Rada called the allegations “baseless” propaganda aimed at tainting TDF’s gains in the region.
In a clip, the allegedly captured child soldiers told ENA with tears in their eyes that the TPLF had forced them to go to war. Among them, teenager Eyerusalem Hailay said she was abducted outside her home in Mekelle on July 14, 2021 and deployed for the war.
“Without receiving training or equipment, we were pushed into war with the empty promise that we will take Addis Ababa back,” she added.
So when the war broke out, “I went with my peers to the military to save ourselves,” Eyerusalem said. She claimed to have been forced to join the war in Tigray.
Helen Hadgu, the other girl abducted from her home in Mekelle, said she had no idea where she was until they entered the Afar region.
“We were given dry biscuits and drank water from the river,” she said, adding that she eventually surrendered to the military to save her life.
The other child, Essayas Alem, said the TPLF terrorist forced Tigray children into war. However, Axadlecould not establish the authenticity of the allegations.
Afar region state prison deputy commissioner Mohammed Ahmed said the region’s pastors and the special force, as well as the Ethiopia National Defense Force, destroyed the TPLF which has attempted a provocative attack on the region.
The group has made futile attempts from their long-held dream of dismantling the country by using children as soldiers and feeding them drugs, he revealed.
AXADLETM
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