Timeline of the Tigray war (January–June 2021)
This Timeline of the Tigray War is part of a chronology of the military engagements of the Tigray War, a civil war that began in the Tigray Region of Ethiopia in early November 2020.
Abbreviations
Abbreviations repeatedly used throughout this timeline include:- EDF = Eritrean Defence Forces
- EEPA = Europe External Programme with Africa
- ENDF = Ethiopian National Defense Force
- TDF = Tigray Defense Forces
- TPLF = Tigray People's Liberation Front
Timeline
Beginning to December 2020
January 2021
1 January
BUDGET REPORT WAS PERPLEXED. TPLF AND OTHER POLITICAL PARTIES ADMINISTRATION HAD GOT REDRESSING BY OROMO PEOPLE DEMOCRATIC ORGANIZATION. IN 2004, before Ethiopian renaissance dam was constructed more Tigrayans were expelled following wronged Eritrea trend of 1991. Political beauraus inhabitation by Amhara investors were the crucial cause of this road stewed ambition.The ENDF released the names of TPLF officials that had been captured, surrendered or killed. ENDF Brigadier General Tesfaye Ayalew said that TPLF were found hiding in caves and churches and many members of the militia and Tigray Special Forces have surrendered.
The number of Ethiopian refugees in Sudan rose to 61,000 due to resumed clashes in northern Tigray. In the Um Rakoba refugee camp, Amhara and Tigray refugees clashed with one another and workers have had to avoid placing the two ethnic groups together. Sudanese military intelligence removed 45 TPLF fighters from the Hamdayet reception centre.
EEPA reported there had been widespread looting including Voice of America reporting damage and looting of their property worth billions of birr in Southern Tigray. Eritrean soldiers were hindered from exiting Tigray with looted goods because of clashes between ENDF and TDF along the major roads into Eritrea. Shire and Egela woreda were being occupied by Eritrean soldiers.
2 January
An EEPA report stated that the TPLF was in control of the mountainous areas of Tigray and the ENDF was having a hard time dislodging them. It also claimed the ENDF is launching an offensive towards Samre. It reported that civilians in Humera, Shire, Aksum, Adwa, Adigrat, Wukro, Mekelle, Hewane, Workamba, Abi Adi, and Hagerselam had been hit with heavy artillery fire. Civilian casualties from December included 300 in Edagahamus, 1,000 in Aksum, 500 in Wukro, and hundreds in Hazwzen, Digum, and Nebelet.3 January
EEPA report:- The provisional mayor of Mekelle, Ataklti Haile Selassie, urged for the immediate withdrawal of Eritrean troops from Tigray.
- Dozens of ENDF were wounded when shooting broke out among ENDF forces in Mekelle when ENDF troops refused an order from Prosperity Party military officials to fight the TPLF in mountainous areas.
- Eritrean forces were reportedly kidnapping people with relatives abroad, for ransom.
- Though Eri-TV said Eritrean captain Gubssa Kahsay died from an illness, Tigray sources said he died in military operations. At least 5 high ranking Eritrean military officials were reported to have died from illness in the prior few weeks.
5 January
ENDF killed dozens of civilians in Debre Abbay on 5–6 January 2021. A 4-minute video of the victims, apparently made by a member of the perpetrators' group, and described as "too graphic to publish", shows around 40 bodies in civilian clothes. EEPA's report mentioned 80 youths killed.
6 January
The UN OCHA said there were reports of fighting in rural areas and in the peripheries of Mekelle, Shiraro, Shire, and other locations. It also said the refugee camps of Hitsats and Shimelba are still not accessible. According to its Southern Tigray mission findings, things are gradually going back to normal in Alamata, Mehoni and Mekelle. This assessment is later rejected by the EEPA which in a later situation report on 9 January claims that according to its sources things in Alamata, Mehoni and Mekelle are not going back to normal.7 January
The Ethiopian national defense force announced that it has killed four top leaders of the TPLF officials and captured nine others. ENDF's Deployment Department Head, Brigadier General Tesfaye Ayalew told that they included TPLF spokesperson Sekoture Getachew, the former head of the Tigray Finance Bureau, Daniel Assefa, Head of Dimtsi Woyane Radio and Television, Abebe Asgedom and former General Director of Ethiopian Television and Broadcast Authority, Zeray Asgedom.8 January
The Ethiopian National Defense Force killed 170 civilians in Bora on 8–10 January 2021. Soldiers went house to house and executed more than 160 people. Done killing, the soldiers stopped families from taking their dead. Only two days after the slaughter were gravediggers allowed to set about their grim task; one of them buried 26 corpses in the graveyard of the Abune Aregawi Church, survivors said.One of the seven founders of TPLF and who is accused by current Ethiopian government as the master mind to initiate the war by massacring the North Force army,, has been caught, according to Ethiopian National Defense Force. ENDF Deployment Department Head, Brigadier General Tesfaye Ayalew told Ethiopian News Agency that Sebhat Nega was captured hiding in a ravine extremely difficult to reach. Together eight top TPLF officials are captured.
EEPA stated that the ENDF announced the capture of nine Tigray officials and the killing of four others. This includes Getachew Reda, former head of the Tigray finance bureau, and two other core members. The EEPA claimed that ENDF reinforcements were seen moving from Alamata to Mekelle. There were reports of heavy fighting in Mekelle and its outskirts and heavy artillery bombing in Wurko. It also claimed that satellite images have shown fire in Baeker, Humera where fighting has been reported. It also said that Eritrean troops are in all administrative zones except Debubawi Zone.
According to a later EEPA situation report, 8 January was the first time since the start of the conflict that a Sudanese TV channel reported no refugees crossing the border into Sudan.
9 January
According to Ethiopian National Defense Force, the group of nine captured TPLF leaders including the TPLF's strategist, Sibhat Nega, arrived in Addis Ababa. Former Tigray Region leader Abay Weldu was among the nine detainees.The Ethiopian National Defense Force killed twelve religious people in the church of Adi'Zeban Karagiorgis in Ari Giyergis on 9 January 2021.
An EEPA situation report claimed that the ENDF built a fence near the Sudanese border to stop refugees from exiting to Sudan. The ENDF presence on the border was growing. Ethiopian TV stated that the TPLF had earlier executed 300 refugees in Hitsats camp and an anonymous source stated the opposite: "The Hitsats story is a lie. Eritrean forces massively killed their own citizens in Hitsats refugee camp to punish them for leaving Eritrea escaping their shoot to kill policy."
Bloomberg reported satellite images showing the destruction of UN facilities, a health-care unit, a high school, and houses in Shimelba and Hitsats camps. In Hitsats camp there were 14 actively burning buildings and 55 others were damaged or destroyed.
10 January
Ethiopia's military said on 10 January that it had killed 15 members of the Tigray region's former ruling party and captured eight others, according to state-run TV.Citing a brigadier-general from Ethiopia's National Defence Force, the state-run Ethiopian Broadcasting Corporation said that those captured included the region's former president Abay Weldu, who was also a former chairman of the region's ruling party. Those killed included the region's former deputy police commissioner, it said.
The prisoners further include:
- Teklewoini Assefa, the executive director of the Relief Society of Tigray ; he did a lot to alleviate poverty in Tigray, already in the period of the 1980s civil war; REST is internationally known as a very efficient NGO.
- Dr. Muleta Yirga, staff of the Economics Department at Mekelle University and founding head of the established Tigray Statistics Agency.
11 January
There was fighting in Debano between ENDF and TDF; the people fled to the mountains near Weri’i River, away from the road.The Amhara forces who came following the Ethiopian army entered the village and massacred at least thirty civilians.
13 January
The government said it killed former foreign minister Seyoum Mesfin, former minister of federal affairs Abay Tsehaye, and Asmelash Woldeselassie in fighting. The three officials were killed after refusing to surrender, according to a statement by Brig. Gen. Tesfaye Ayalew. In addition to the three officials who were killed, five other party members of the TPLF were also apprehended, Reuters added.An EEPA situation report stated that in Ruwa Gered a battalion of ENDF/EDF forces were destroyed by Tigrayan forces. The battalion was on its way from Adwa to Edaga Arbi.
15 January
An EEPA situation report stated that 4,000 ENDF/EDF were reportally killed during 3 days of fighting with the TPLF in Daero Hafash. The TPLF has captured a lot of weapons. Fighting is also going on in Tsigereda and around Wukro.A UN team reported that it had encountered uniformed Eritrea troops.
On 15 January, or the days thereafter, the Mahbere Dego massacres were filmed at a cliff; it received international media attention.