''During 1985-1986, Ethiopian forces regained control of large areas of Tigray and followed up this success with a program of food distribution, which won it allies among the Tigrayan people.
However, in 1987 and 1988, the TPLF launched a new offensive, following the capture of Afabet by the EPLF; when the government moved troops from Tigray to Eritrea, the TPLF promptly overran government garrisons which had been left behind, and by April 1988 the government only controlled the Tigrayan capital, Mekelle.
The TPLF and EPLF were once more working together successfully. At the end of May 1988, the TPLF captured the garrison town of Maychew to the south of Mekelle and forced the Ethiopian army to retreat further south of Mekelle and forced the Ethiopian army to retreat further south to Wollo; the TPLF claimed to have destroyed two Ethiopian battalions during fighting round Amba Alage.
By this time, the TPLF had about 20,000 soldiers and these were supplemented by local militias who joined them when their own areas were under threat.
Mengistu now called for a nationwide effort to destroy the TPLF and in a major offensive of June 1988, drove them from six towns which they had occupied.
This proved to be one of the last successful military offensive by the Ethiopian forces; by mid 1990, as the Mengistu government began to collapse, the TPLF was operating barely 160 KM's north of Addis Ababa and claimed to have inflicted a massive 22,000 casualties upon the retreating Ethiopian forces.
By the end of the year, the TPLF and EPLF were clearly in command of the military situation, while Mengistu's forces were everywhere on the defensive.''
The A to Z of Civil Wars in Africa
By Guy Arnold
pages 171-173
However, in 1987 and 1988, the TPLF launched a new offensive, following the capture of Afabet by the EPLF; when the government moved troops from Tigray to Eritrea, the TPLF promptly overran government garrisons which had been left behind, and by April 1988 the government only controlled the Tigrayan capital, Mekelle.
The TPLF and EPLF were once more working together successfully. At the end of May 1988, the TPLF captured the garrison town of Maychew to the south of Mekelle and forced the Ethiopian army to retreat further south of Mekelle and forced the Ethiopian army to retreat further south to Wollo; the TPLF claimed to have destroyed two Ethiopian battalions during fighting round Amba Alage.
By this time, the TPLF had about 20,000 soldiers and these were supplemented by local militias who joined them when their own areas were under threat.
Mengistu now called for a nationwide effort to destroy the TPLF and in a major offensive of June 1988, drove them from six towns which they had occupied.
This proved to be one of the last successful military offensive by the Ethiopian forces; by mid 1990, as the Mengistu government began to collapse, the TPLF was operating barely 160 KM's north of Addis Ababa and claimed to have inflicted a massive 22,000 casualties upon the retreating Ethiopian forces.
By the end of the year, the TPLF and EPLF were clearly in command of the military situation, while Mengistu's forces were everywhere on the defensive.''
The A to Z of Civil Wars in Africa
By Guy Arnold
pages 171-173
