14 Friday International Friday, January 8, 2021 Ethiopian top general confirms Eritrean troops entered Tigray Seyoum goes against Abiy’s denials in video

ADDIS ABABA: A top-ranking member of said it was “aware of credible reports of Er- Ethiopia’s army confirmed that troops from itrean military involvement in Tigray,” and neighboring Eritrea entered the northern called for the troops to be withdrawn. Tigray region during the conflict there, in a Ethiopia’s ambassador to the US Fitsum video seen by AFP on Wednesday. Arega denied the claim, tweeting: “Repeat a Ethiopia’s federal government has long de- lie often enough and it becomes the truth!” nied persistent claims that Eritrean troops Tigray residents also told AFP that Er- were in Tigray, where Prime Minister Abiy itrean troops were in the region, accusing Ahmed launched a military offensive against them of various abuses and looting. Prime dissident regional leaders in November that Minister Abiy reached a historic peace left thousands dead. But Major General Belay agreement with Eritrea shortly after taking Seyoum, the head of the Ethiopian army’s office in 2018, winning him the 2019 Nobel northern division, went against those denials Peace Prize. Abiy’s ascension ended decades in a video dated from the end of December of federal political dominance by the Tigray which emerged on social media Wednesday. People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) — sworn “An unwanted foreign force entered into enemies of Eritrean President Isaias Afwerki our territory” during the fighting in Tigray, he after a 1998-2000 war between the two said in the video, in which he spoke with res- countries. idents of the regional capital Mekele. Er- The premier launched the military opera- itrea’s army “entered our territory by itself, tion against Tigray’s TPLF leaders on No- Ethiopian refugees who fled the Tigray conflict gather in front of a tent during the Coptic Christmas celebra- this has to be made clear,” he added, without vember 4, claiming victory when federal tions, at a village next to Um Raquba refugee camp in Gedaref, eastern Sudan, early yesterday. —AFP specifying when the soldiers crossed the bor- forces captured Mekele later that month. Be- der, where they went, or whether they were fore the conflict began, Tigray was home to still in Ethiopia. 96,000 Eritrean refugees who fled Afwerki’s Mosque damaged said the al-Nejashi Mosque had been hit by “The main mission of the Ethiopia Defense regime in one of the world’s most authoritar- Also on Wednesday, the council repre- artillery fire and its materials had been Force is safeguarding the territorial integrity ian states. senting Ethiopia’s Muslims condemned the looted. He called on the government “to of Ethiopia,” he said. “My conscience doesn’t The UN is among those to have expressed partial destruction of one of Africa’s oldest bring to justice speedily those entities that allow me to ask the Eritrean army to help us. fear the Eritrean refugees in Tigray could mosques in the Tigray fighting. Qassim Mo- committed these shameful acts”. Built in the We can solve our problem by ourselves.” face reprisals from Eritrean troops-or even hammed Tajuddin, the secretary of the 7th century, the mosque is considered one of In December the US State Department be forced to return to the country. Ethiopia Islamic Affairs Supreme Council, the oldest Muslim burial sites. —AFP

Man of the people? Japarov: From prison Japarov, 52, entered Kyrgyzs- tan’s political scene as a lawmaker in 2005, after building up a small oil Senior Trump aide quits to presidency business in his native eastern Issyk- Kul region. His star rose under the , : Just over three months ago, Kyrgyzstan’s fron- patronage of then-president Kur- saying ‘I can’t stay’ trunner in the Sunday presidential vote, , was languishing manbek Bakiyev, who appointed in jail, mourning his parents and a son who all died whilst he was im- him head of the anti-corruption WASHINGTON: Mick Mulvaney, a former chief of staff in Donald prisoned. But an October crisis over a disputed vote saw him sprung Trump’s White House, announced yesterday he has quit his diplomatic agency in 2008. from his cell by supporters and a court overturn his sentence for But the agency’s investigations post to protest mob violence by the president’s supporters at the Capi- hostage-taking as local power-brokers lined up to back his overnight tol. “I can’t stay here, not after yesterday. You can’t look at that yesterday never touched on the family of leadership bid. Bakiyev-widely viewed as the main and think I want to be a part of that in any way, shape or form,” Mul- Japarov’s rise was so remarkable that it appeared to catch even Kyr- vaney told CNBC television. Mulvaney, who had been moved from chief beneficiary of systemic graft at the gyzstan’s key ally off guard and fuelled speculation over the role time. Bakiyev was overthrown in of staff to special envoy for Northern Ireland, said he told Secretary of that organised crime may have played in the high-speed events. State Mike Pompeo he was resigning. “I can’t do it. I can’t stay,” he told 2010, in a revolution far more violent Yet it was also typical of ex-Soviet Central Asia’s most volatile coun- CNBC, indicating that other White House staff were eying the exits. than the one that displaced the first try, where political fortunes have often been made in street protests first “Those who choose to stay, and I have talked with some of them, post-Soviet president Askar Akayev BISHKEK: A billboard supporting and only later at the ballot box. Japarov’s election campaign, which are choosing to stay because they’re worried the president might five years before. Violence erupted presidential candidate Sadyr packed out stadiums across the country despite the threat of the coro- put someone worse in,” he said. On Wednesday, thousands of Trump between ethnic Kyrgyz and minority Japarov is pictured ahead of supporters left a rally with the president, then stormed into Con- navirus, was headlined by banners reading “Sadyr - President”. Uzbeks two months later, claiming presidential election in Bishkek gress, temporarily halting proceedings to certify Democrat Joe The same slogan was chanted by supporters who massed in the cap- hundreds of lives. A nationalist oppo- yesterday. —AFP Biden as the winner of the November presidential election. ital Bishkek and demanded that step down in sition party that included Japarov Immediately after the violence, which Trump has still failed to Japarov’s favour after a parliamentary election marred by vote-buying among its leaders won parliamentary polls later that year, but was shut out condemn, deputy national security adviser Matt Pottinger resigned. allegations. Jeenbekov assented, citing the need to avoid bloodshed as of the ruling coalition. Another departure was Stephanie Grisham, a former White House he became the third Kyrgyz leader to resign during political turbulence Japarov’s political brand then became associated with chaotic rallies press secretary now working as spokeswoman for First Lady Mela- since independence from in 1991. against the Canadian operators of Kyrgyzstan’s largest gold mine, which nia Trump. US media reported that Marc Short, chief of staff to Vice Japarov became head of state on an interim basis, quitting the post contributes up to 10 percent of GDP annually but has been dogged by cor- President Mike Pence, had been blocked from entering the White in November to compete in Sunday’s vote while installing loyalists in key ruption accusations and environmental concerns. House — apparently in retaliation for Pence’s decision to ignore positions to retain his grip. During one rally in his native province in 2013 the local governor was Trump’s demand that he block the certification of Biden. —AFP Voters on Sunday are widely expected to grant him a first round briefly taken hostage and doused with petrol. Authorities opened a criminal victory. case against Japarov, who fled the country. —AFP