UK government delegation posing for a picture with TPLF leaders in Mekelle, seat of the Tigray regional state this week (Photo : SM)

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The Eritrean government on Thursday summoned British Charge d’affaires in  Asmara, capital of Eritrea. It has something to do with the remark during a recent visit to Mekelle of the British Ambassador to Ethiopia, Darren Welch. 

Eritrea is accusing the UK Ambassador to Ethiopia of supporting what it calls “TPLF’s irridentist claims” – apparently territorial claims. 

Yemane Gebre Meskel, Minister for Information, unveiled it in a Twitter message.

He wrote, “British Charge d’Affaires a.i. in Asmara was summoned by DG at Ministry of Foreign Affairs yesterday to convey strong message to Whitehall on unwarranted remarks of z British Ambassador to Ethiopia during his recent visit to Mekelle apparently endorsing TPLF’s irredentist claims”

This week, the UK government sent a delegation to Mekelle under the leadership of the U.K.’s  Special Envoy for the Red Sea & Horn of Africa, Sarah Montgomery. The delegation met with Getachew Reda, whom Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed appointed as an interim president of Tigray regional state following the “Pretoria agreement” and new political alliance after the two years devastating war. 

The British Ambassador announced new funding and partnership with the “United Nations Human Rights” division to investigate rights abuse during the war between TPLF and the Ethiopian government. 

The Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) has been accusing Eritrea of occupying territories in the Tigray region. 

Like the United States, The U.K. government has been the strong champion of the TPLF during the war.  It has been established that the war, which is said to have claimed about one million lives from both sides, started when the TPLF attacked the Northern Command of the Ethiopian Defense Force. 

The British government has a strong relationship with the TPLF – something that may be related to the U.K. ( and of the United States) geopolitical ambition in the Tigray region to position itself with a sphere of influence in the region.

The U.K. is one of the key western powers that enabled the political and military comeback of TPLF possible.

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