Opinion: The massacre of Axum is haunting the Tripartite Alliance

“We did not fall out with the Eritrean government because we raised the issue of the Port of Assab. The conflict began when, as we entered Shire, Eritrean forces were demolishing buildings; when we passed through Axum and the youth of Axum were being massacred; when factories in Adwa were dismantled and looted, the tension escalated; when in Adigrat they uprooted the pharmaceutical factory and destroyed what they could not remove, the dispute reached its peak. We knew all this was happening, but we did not speak about it. Meanwhile, we were fighting on multiple fronts” – Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Ali (02.03.2026).

The war over the Tigray region is continuing to create havoc and a rampage among the elites of Addis Ababa and Asmara. The now conflict torn region is still discussed and the possible war-crimes committed by all the allies of the Tripartite Alliance. The Prime Minister even spoke further about it now, but his dishonesty isn’t helping his case. That’s why people question his reasoning for doing it now.

There already been steady reporting about the Massacres that happened in November 2020 and was acknowledge in February and March of 2021 by Amnesty and EHRC. So, the various entities has proof and evidence of the lethal actions made and the consequences of such. It is just compelling and it is striking that the Eritrean Press and Eritrean High-Ranking officials are downplaying it now. Like they never did it and didn’t commit these crimes. Alas, Abiy is wrong in how he does and how frequently he lies. However, there are other records proving the case and showing what the Eritrean Defence Forces did in Axum. They can deny all they want, but the bodies and the souls taken are on their account.

Just check these ones out!

About the November 28th November Amnesty wrote this:

“From about 3 to 4 pm, lines of Eritrean trucks and tanks reportedly entered the city from the east. Their numbers bolstered by the new arrivals, Eritrean soldiers went on a rampage, shooting at civilian men and youths who were out on the streets attempting to flee in panic. The killing, which one witness said began around 4 pm, was carried out on a large scale and continued until the evening” (Amnesty, February 2021).

EHRC report says this:

“On November 25, members of ENDF were seen to be leaving Aksum and on November 26, residents said they could not see any “soldiers moving around the city”. On November 27, however, “a large number of Eritrean soldiers began coming into Aksum”. “They took up posts in three different locations of the city: ‘Maye Kuho’; ‘Samuna Fabrika’ and ‘Tsele’a’. On November 28, 2020, we started hearing heavy gun fire all around the city.”” (EHRC, March 2021).

There are stories to be told. There are records of what went down and it is clear that the Tripartite Alliance let it all happen. This isn’t wishful thinking, but an apparent reaction to what they wanted to achieve and totally destroy the Tigray region and get the TPLF on its knees. That’s the reality here and the PM wanted to consolidate all power from every corner of the Federal Republic.

This massacre isn’t only EDF fault, but Abiy fault to allow it to happen to further his Office and giving himself more power. That’s why he allowed it and didn’t really mind it when it went down. His using it now to distort and vilify the Eritreans now. Regardless, he has to bear the weight of having foreign invaders doing this on accord and with an agreement from himself. The Tripartite Alliance allowed this, and he was one of the key people behind all of it. The EDF is responsible, but so is all the allies who made it happen and didn’t stop it. Now his calling them out, but he didn’t do it when the guns was blazing. Peace.

Ethiopia: Berhanu Jula reveals the sinister acts of Eritrean soldiers in the Axum Massacre in November 2020..

“Several incidents occurred. There was gaps during the war. In areas, such as Adigrat, Adwa, and Aksum, there was terrible actions that took place. At that time, the Shabia army also arrived. Since it was a situation where one could not check and balance the other, there was some anti-democratic actions. At that time, it was like that, but leadership was also involved. It wasn’t a good job. Of course. It wasn’t as bad as they portrayed it; factories was dismantled and taken, property was looted, and people were killed. The massacre wasn’t quite like it was narrated. There was damage, but what was said wasn’t the kind that was portrayed for media consumption. The one at fault is the TPLF itself. When the Shabia army passed through there, they opened fire on them. How did they do that? They infiltrated the city with militia and armed people. It was like sudden attack. This was transpired within the city. And to defend themselves, they (Eritrean soldiers) didn’t differentiate one from the others, they took measures. That’s what happened. It’s not like they went into every house; it was a city, right? It (Eritrean soldiers) was fired upon and since there were many people in the city when retaliation was given, there were casualties. The provocations was done intentionally to cause harm. If you organize an armed group and send them into a city where an army is peacefully passing through then open fire, it has to defend itself. And to defend itself, it’s difficult to identify who is armed and who is not. They took action against those who attacked them. They followed and took action against those who fled or scattered; in the midst of this, peaceful people might have been harmed” – Field Marshal Berhanu Jula, Chief of the General Staff of the Ethiopian National Defense Force (01.10.2024).

The truth will be revealed and be told eventually. Now it is done for one reason or another. As the authorities, the state and the army itself wants to change the story. There are drip drops of knowledge. The ones involved will speak and say their peace.

Now the ENDF Field Marshal Berhanu Jula is speaking about the war in the north. He is addressing the conflict and how things went down. It is now over a year since the Pretoria Agreement and Cessation of Hostilities. We can wonder if it is in regard to this… and they want to downplay their own role. That would make sense now. However, it is telling that this is being said now!

Especially, when a Field Marshal says this and it co-incidentally fits the stories that was reported in 2021 about it. Now in 2024 the Army Commander is speaking and he does it with intent. We cannot know why right now… but it is for reason. Just look at the reports from 2021 and how conveniently it adds up!

Amnesty first reports:

“Between 19 and 29 November 2020, Eritrean troops operating in the Ethiopian city of Axum, Tigray, committed a series of human rights and humanitarian law violations, including killing hundreds of civilians. Over an approximately 24-hour period on 28-29 November, Eritrean soldiers deliberately shot civilians on the street and carried out systematic house-to-house searches, extrajudicially executing men and boys. The massacre was carried out in retaliation for an earlier attack by a small number of local militiamen, joined by local residents armed with sticks and stones” (Amnesty, February 2021).

EHRC states:

“Information collected during this preliminary investigation confirm that during the two days of November 28 and November 29, grave violations of human rights were committed and that in Aksum, over one hundred residents including visitors from other parts of the country who came to mark the annual Aksum Tsion celebration and internally displaced persons from other parts of Tigray, were killed by Eritrean soldiers” (EHRC, March 2021).

About the November 28th November Amnesty wrote this:

“From about 3 to 4 pm, lines of Eritrean trucks and tanks reportedly entered the city from the east. Their numbers bolstered by the new arrivals, Eritrean soldiers went on a rampage, shooting at civilian men and youths who were out on the streets attempting to flee in panic. The killing, which one witness said began around 4 pm, was carried out on a large scale and continued until the evening” (Amnesty, February 2021).

EHRC report says this:

“On November 25, members of ENDF were seen to be leaving Aksum and on November 26, residents said they could not see any “soldiers moving around the city”. On November 27, however, “a large number of Eritrean soldiers began coming into Aksum”. “They took up posts in three different locations of the city: ‘Maye Kuho’; ‘Samuna Fabrika’ and ‘Tsele’a’. On November 28, 2020, we started hearing heavy gun fire all around the city.”” (EHRC, March 2021).

You can it and it is evident, right?

Field Marshal spoke about this to make others look like villains and continue the blame-game. Meanwhile, he will treat it like a nothing affair. Because, if this had mattered. Something would have happened and the leaders in Addis Ababa would have called and notified Asmara about the transgressions. However, they were all in on it and didn’t mind the cost of the conflict. Therefore, this is to shade both the Eritrean involvement in the war and TPLF itself.

This just shows how they are throwing the allies under the bus and putting blame on them after the fact. Now they can do that after a fallout. That’s why the Field Marshal can address it and does it so blatantly.

The massacre of Axum should have consequences, but we haven’t seen any. Neither has the ENDF, Fano or EDF gotten any sort of punitive actions. Neither has the leaders in charge taking any accountability or tried to dig deep into the actions itself. This is why the investigations into it has gone nowhere. That’s because no one in office or in power wants the sinister acts revealed. Peace.