There are conflicting reports concerning the downing of a MiG-23 warplane of the Ethiopian Air Force in the Abi Adi area by the Tigray nationalist movement.
Tigray fighters belonging to the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) have claimed to shoot down a MiG-23 which crashed near Abiy Addi, 50 kilometers west of Mekelle. The pilot successfully bailed from his aircraft, but was then captured on the ground by soldiers and civilians.
The footage seems to show the captured pilot.
The TPLF maintains that they shot down the MiG-23. Whether they did so with MANPADS or from stationary air defense is unknown.
Indeed, the fact that they actually shot it down instead of the MiG crashing as a result of a technical fault will likely remain unknown as well.
Until now, the Ethiopian Military has not made a statement on the loss of their aircraft
The incident comes exactly one day after the Prime Minister of Ethiopia, Dr Abiy Ahmed declared victory and an end to combat operations in the Tigray region.
