Operation Alula

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Operation Alula Aba Nega
Part of Tigray War
Date11 June 2021 – 6 July 2021
Location
Tigray Region, Ethiopia
Status Tigrayan victory
Belligerents
 Tigray  Ethiopia
 Eritrea
Commanders and leaders
Tigray Region Tsadkan Gebretensae
Tigray Region Tadesse Werede Tesfay
Tigray Region Getachew Reda		 Ethiopia Abiy Ahmed
Ethiopia Birhanu Jula
Ethiopia Abebaw Tadesse
Eritrea Filipos Woldeyohannes
Units involved
Tigray Region Tigray Defense Forces
Ethiopian divisions:
  • Ethiopia Ethiopian infantry divisions[1]
    • 11th infantry division
    • 20th infantry division
    • 21st infantry division
    • 24th infantry division
    • 25th infantry division
    • 31st infantry division
    • 32nd infantry division
Eritrean divisions:
  • Eritrea Eritrean infantry divisions[1]
    • 21st infantry division
    • 32nd infantry division
Strength
80,000[2] 50,000[3]
Casualties and losses
Unknown 18,000+ killed (TDF claim)[4]
6,600 captured (TDF claim)[4]
1 Lockheed C-130 Hercules[5]
At least 64 civilians killed[6]

Operation Alula Aba Nega (Tigrinya: ወፍሪ አሉላ አባ ነጋ), commonly shortened to Operation Alula (Tigrinya: ወፍሪ አሉላ), was a counter-offensive during the Tigray War by the Tigray Defense Forces against the Ethiopian military and its allies in Tigray. The operation was named after Ethiopian general Ras Alula Aba Nega, who was of Tigrayan descent.[7][8][9] The offensive was launched on 11 June 2021 and recaptured vast swaths of territory across central and eastern Tigray, including the regional capital of Mekelle.[9][10]

Battle

On June 11, the Tigray Defense Forces (TDF) launched a series of offensives against the isolated Ethiopian 11th division in Yechila, forcing it to retreat to Shewate Higum. The TDF simultaneously sent detachments to block Ethiopian reinforcements from rescuing the 11th. The Ethiopian 21st division was dispatched from Mekelle, but was ambushed in Addi Esher near Gijet. Similarly, the 31st division, also sent to the rescue, was intercepted by Tigrayan forces around Agbe.[11]

The Ethiopians attempted to respond with overwhelming force, deploying the 20th, 23rd, 24th and 25th. They advanced from Abiy Addi towards Shewate Higum, but once they moved past Shewate Higum towards Dawsira, they faced an onslaught as nearly all Tigrayan fighters in the region were mobilized and engaged in a series of attacks from all directions against the Ethiopians. Over three days of intense fighting ensured, where the Ethiopian units managed to initially repel the attacks and advance towards Yechila. However, before the Ethiopians reached the town of Yechila, Tigrayan fighters shot down an Ethiopian Air Force Lockheed C-130 Hercules plane carrying vital supplies and ammunition. This boosted the morale of the Tigrayan forces and the Ethiopian units began to falter under intense multipronged Tigrayan attacks. The Ethiopian forces soon began to disintegrate and retreat in disarray back to Mekelle, a Tigrayan detachment was sent to block the A2 highway leading south of Mekelle and captured Wukro, which left a brigade sized Ethiopian force trapped in Negash. On June 28, Tigrayan fighters captured the regional capital Mekelle after the remnants of the Ethiopian army withdrew, the next day Abiy Ahmed declared a "unilateral ceasefire". The TDF paraded thousands of captured Ethiopian soldiers through the streets of Mekelle as crowds cheered. Some Ethiopian units attempted to retreat into the Afar Region, Tigrayan troops caught up with them at Amentila near Abala, inflicting further losses.[5][12]

According to Tigrayan sources, the Eritrean army situated around Shire Inda Slasse attempted to assist the Ethiopian army by deploying a few brigades of the 21st and 32nd infantry divisions, but were intercepted in Medebay Zana, where they faced devastating casualties. Fearing defeat, the Eritrean army withdrew from Shire, allowing the TDF to move in. Amhara Regional Forces stationed around Inda Aba Guna managed to withdraw across the Tekeze River without taking serious losses, but not before they destroyed the Tekeze bridge to prevent Tigrayan forces from advancing.[13][14]

References

  1. ^ a b "Situation Report EEPA HORN No. 171 - 21 June 2021" (PDF). Europe External Programme with Africa.
  2. ^ Plaut, Martin (16 February 2023). Understanding Ethiopia's Tigray War. Hurst Publishers. ISBN 9781805260639.
  3. ^ Plaut, Martin (16 February 2023). Understanding Ethiopia's Tigray War. Hurst Publishers. ISBN 9781805260639.
  4. ^ a b Walsh, Declan (3 July 2021). "'I Didn't Expect to Make It Back Alive': An Interview With Tigray's Leader". The New York Times. Retrieved 1 January 2024.
  5. ^ a b Dahir, Abdi Latif; Marks, Simon (29 June 2021). "Tigray Rebels in Ethiopia Celebrate a Victory: Live Updates". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 29 June 2021.
  6. ^ "Calls for inquiry as dozens killed, injured, in Ethiopia market airstrike". France 24. 23 June 2021. Retrieved 30 June 2021.
  7. ^ Libération, 29 June 2021: «Alula», l’opération militaire qui a soudain fait basculer la guerre au Tigré
  8. ^ "Situation Report EEPA HORN No. 176 - 29 June 2021" (PDF). Europe External Programme with Africa.
  9. ^ a b Tronvoll, Kjetil (25 June 2021). "Eritrea's final war?". Ethiopia Insight. Archived from the original on 30 July 2021. Retrieved 29 June 2021.
  10. ^ Walsh, Declan; Marks, Simon (28 June 2021). "Ethiopian Forces Retreat in Tigray, and Rebels Enter the Capital". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 29 June 2021.
  11. ^ Plaut, Martin (16 February 2023). Understanding Ethiopia's Tigray War. Hurst Publishers. ISBN 9781805260639.
  12. ^ Plaut, Martin (16 February 2023). Understanding Ethiopia's Tigray War. Hurst Publishers. ISBN 9781805260639.
  13. ^ "Eritrean forces withdraw from key towns in Ethiopia's Tigray". AP NEWS. 29 June 2021. Retrieved 29 June 2021.
  14. ^ Plaut, Martin (16 February 2023). Understanding Ethiopia's Tigray War. Hurst Publishers. ISBN 9781805260639.
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