After three weeks of rumours, fake clips and "Ethiopia will fall" predictions, foreign military officers finally saw the evidence with their own eyes.
And what they said after Bishoftu should silence a lot of people. 🧵👇
Military attachés from the UK, Australia, Kenya, Tanzania, Bangladesh, Gabon and South Sudan were briefed by ENDF leadership at Bishoftu Air Force Base and shown weapons seized in the operations. Officers from the US, Russia, Italy, Germany and China were there too.
Here is what they said on camera:
🇬🇧 UK: "There's been a lot of speculation over the last three weeks… the briefing clarified the lead-up to the conflict and the conduct of the conflict." He said they respect the ENDF's right to protect its country from any threat, and urged all sides to respect the sovereign territory of their neighbours.
🇦🇺 Australia: she said she respects the ENDF's efforts to protect Ethiopia's sovereignty, and that all countries in the region must respect each other's borders.
🇧🇩 Bangladesh: "Ethiopia has the legitimate right to protect their sovereignty from any kind of foreign aggression." He said the ENDF is targeting legitimate military targets and trying to protect civilian lives.
🇰🇪 Kenya: "From the briefing it is very clear that ENDF undertook its mandate within applicable laws."
🇹🇿 Tanzania: after the briefing, he said, "I'm 100% sure that we are safe here in Addis Ababa and in Ethiopia as a whole."
🇬🇦 Gabon: most information comes from social media, "which can be fake." Official briefings are the right way.
🇸🇸 South Sudan: "If there is peace in Ethiopia, peace will come in South Sudan also." He asked the international community to stand behind Ethiopia for peace.
Two messages came through again and again:
1. Ethiopia has the right to defend its sovereignty.
2. Every neighbour must respect Ethiopia's borders, and every side must de-escalate.
That's exactly Ethiopia's position. Defend the country, protect civilians, and seek peace.
To everyone who spent three weeks spreading fake news: the people whose job is to know the facts have now seen them.
#Ethiopia #ENDF #EthiopiaPrevails