TPLF claims 1,511 Ethiopian soldiers killed — Anadolu Agency

The Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) said that on October 17 and 18, near Mirena in the central part of the Tigray region, its fighters killed 1,511 Ethiopian National Defense Force soldiers and wounded another 1,050. These figures could not be independently verified, and Ethiopian authorities and the military did not publicly comment on the claim, Anadolu Agency reports.

TPLF statement on fighting near Mirena

TPLF spokesperson Negash Giluf reported the federal troops’ losses during a video briefing broadcast by the opposition Tigray Media Corporation. According to the group, government forces were attempting to advance toward the city of Adet. The TPLF also said that 11 members of the Tigray Peace Forces, an armed formation supporting the federal government, were killed.

The group’s statement came after reports that Ethiopian troops had withdrawn from Adwa and Rama, located near the border with Eritrea, following attacks by TPLF fighters. Earlier, federal forces took control of Mekelle, Tigray’s administrative center, and several other cities during an offensive after large-scale hostilities resumed on September 23.

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Warning to Eritrea

Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed accused Eritrea of supporting Tigrayan forces which, he said, seek to destabilize the country. In an interview with the state-owned Ethiopian Broadcasting Corporation, he warned the Eritrean authorities of “very, very, very serious” consequences if they did not heed Ethiopia’s calls for cooperation.

Addis Ababa has repeatedly accused Eritrean forces of crossing the northern border and assisting the TPLF, but Asmara has rejected these accusations. At the same time, Eritrea stated that Ethiopia wants to seize its Red Sea port of Assab. The Ethiopian government also announced the creation of a six-month interim administration in Tigray.