Aside from the conflict in Ethiopia’s restive Tigray, the inevitable propaganda war between the federal government and the outlawed Tigray People’s Liberation Front has intensified.
But who is winning this crucial war of words?
The Ethiopian army has been quick to dismiss as presposterous suggestions that the TPLF has witnessed something of a resurgence by reportedly recapturing several towns in Tigray from federal forces.
The Ethiopian National Defence Force said it s typical of the TPLF during the conflict to spread false propaganda and misinformation aimed at confusing the world.
TPLF have been making their own statements about literally wresting control of towns ostensibly from federal forces “after overwhelming them”.
What has been clear since the government declared its so-called law and order operations in Tigray over was that the guns of the conflict have not fallen silent.
Week in week out, there has been no shortage of report about federal troops taking on rebel forces, causing a humanitarian crisis with a quarter of a million people facing famine.
The Ethiopian army has said that TPLF had seized a chance to launch their propaganda war in areas from which federal troops had withdrawn.
It said members of the national defense force were redeployed to several parts of the country from Tigray to ensure peace and security during the just concluded general elections.
However, the TPLF said the elections presents a “convenient excuse” for the army after it was routed by rebels forces who have scored what it called significant victories for the control of several towns/
The outlawed movement claims its fighters are bearing down on the Tigray capital Mekele, but these have not been independently verified.
Sources say the fact that federal troops have struggled to completely neutralise the TPLF in its strongholds is helping the insurgents in their propaganda war against the federal government.
While the government dismiss the activities of the TPLF as the last kicks of a dying horse, its forces have been kept busy in the area and withdrawing some of their for redeployment to other apparently insecure areas of Ethiopia played into the insurgents’ propaganda machine.
This has prompted the ENDF’s Public Relations Director, Colonel Getnet Adane to “set the record straight”.
He said the TPLF was exploiting the temporary redeployment of the army to deal with potential security challenges elsewhere in Ethiopia, allowing insurgents to emerge from hideouts and go on a misinformation spree.
According to the Director, the insurgents have been desperate in its dissemination of false propaganda to gain maximum international attention and support.
He said the federal soldiers moved to other areas to allow farmers in Tigray to farm their lands undisturbed.
Meanwhile one thing the propaganda machines from both sides of the conflict divide can’t affect is that Tigray is yet to shed its reputation as Ethiopia’s most restive region.
MG/abj/as/APA