Debretsion Gebremichael, leader of the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TIPLF), announced on November 29 that his forces had shot down a warplane of the Ethiopian Air Force (EAF) and had captured the pilot.
In a message to the Reuters news agency, Gebremichale claimed that the pilot “was on a mission to bomb.”
Tigray TV shared footage from the site where the fighter jet, a Mig-23 crashed. Ten jets of this type are known to be in service with the EAF. Tigray locals also posted photos of the captured pilot on social media.
Video from Tigray TV shows a crash site and wreckage from a crashed jet, as well as the captured pilot. Jet claimed to be a MiG-23. pic.twitter.com/qy7tUsOB7g
— Ethiopia Map (@MapEthiopia) November 29, 2020
MiG-23 checklist captured. And some HD photos of the wreckage. pic.twitter.com/crV7IjoQgF
— Ethiopia Map (@MapEthiopia) November 29, 2020
Unharmed***
The pilot was also disarmed or lost his sidearm in the ejection. No images released of that. Normally pilots flying Soviet aircraft would carry a Stechkin. Though Ethiopian pilots may carry their own sidearms. pic.twitter.com/JX5grKha3U— Ethiopia Map (@MapEthiopia) November 29, 2020
The northern region of Tigray has been under attack by the Ethiopian National Defense Forces (ENDF) since November 4. The operation was launched in response to an attack by the TIPLF on military bases in the region.
A day earlier, Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed said the military operations in Tigray were completed and government troops controled the regional capital, Mekelle.
“I am pleased to share that we have completed and ceased the military operations in the Tigray region,” the prime minister said on Twitter.
PM Abiy’s announcement was rejected by the TIPLF, whose leader vowed to continue the fight against the government. Ethiopian government forces have reportedly launched a “manhunt” for the leader.
The conflict in Tigray, which doesn’t appear to be nearing its end, has so far claimed the lives of 611 people. More than 44,000 others were displaced to neighboring Sudan.
Another war where the bullshit goes faster than bullets and the real news will be missed altogether.
It is a African tribal spat, but the dying is for real and racists will ignore that grim reality and focus on useless endless sectarian pseudo religious land grab conflicts in the Middle East, Ukraine and Caucasus.
Frankly, even half a million Tigrayan’s are fighting better that the useless cowardly Armenians who had the best Russian weapons.
u mean the weapons from the soviet era?? AAHAHAHAH!!
Negroes killing each other with Soviet junk is better than spears, we need to send the Falasha criminals back to Ethiopia. Let the black schmuck baboons kill each other like Arabs and Muslims. Mazal Tov!
Racist Zionist asshole.
Holohoax roach speaking, concentrate on killing scientists and children, that’s what you do best.
India has 90% of its inventory from Soviet era and has won three wars against Pakistan. It was Armenian cowardice and incompetence that lost the war.
Well, Soviet era weapons won the Vietnam war among others :)