TIGRAY REGION

Subject : Geography

Context : Ethiopia is on the brink of a civil war after Ethiopia’s Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed announced that he had ordered troops to counter an allegedly violent attack by armed forces in the country’s northern Tigray region.

Concept :

Background :

• In early November 2020, the region and the Ethiopian federal government entered into conflict, with some gunfire being reported in the capital of Tigray, Mekelle.
• The conflict escalated in September, when Tigray held local elections in insubordination of the Ethiopian federal government. these elections were considered “illegal” by the federal government, further leading to conflict with Tigray authorities.

Tigray Region :

• The Tigray Region is the northernmost of the nine regions (kililat) of Ethiopia.
• Tigray is the homeland of the Tigrayan, Irob and Kunama peoples.
• Tigray is also known as Region 1 according to the federal constitution.
• Its capital and largest city is Mekelle.
• Tigray is bordered by Eritrea to the north, Sudan to the west, the Amhara Region to the south and the Afar Region to the east and south east.