Hagos Gebreamlak, Author at HaqCheck

Do the images show Ethiopia’s C-130 Hercules aircrafts?

A Facebook post sharing five images emerged on May 15, 2022, claiming the pictures show the C-130 Hercules jets Ethiopia is armed with.

The post went viral and was shared over 44 times and got more than half a thousand reactions.

However, HaqCheck cross-checked the images and confirmed the claim to be Partly False.

The protracted war between the TPLF and the federal government and its allied forces has remained unsolved.

A humanitarian truce was declared by the federal government and was also adopted by the TPLF a few months ago. This was seen as a glimmer of hope and a window of opportunity for peace talks and peaceful resettlement of the armed conflict.

There was also an unconfirmed report that Debretsion Gebremichael, TPLF chairman, and Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy directly talked to one another over the phone after the truce was announced.

In audio released on YouTube, a senior military leader of the TPLF armed forces disclosed that there were direct talks and stated that he and Tadesse Werede met Field Marshal Birhanu Jula, chief staff of ENDF in Mauritius.

Asked, Birhanu Jula denied the claim that he met with the senior TPLF military leaders.

TPLF has been stating that if the diplomatic means to end the war fail, it will resort to other means indicating that it will seek military means. TPLF has been accusing the federal government and regional authorities of blocking aid from entering Tigray and complained that the aid that has recently reached was below what is needed.

A week ago Prime Minister Abiy visited the Ethiopian National Defence Forces in the town of Humera and observed its status.

Meanwhile, public conferences have been conducted in Tigray in many towns. Senior TPLF leaders including Debretsion Gebremichael, Fetleweerk Gebregziabher, Getachew Reda, and Alem Gebrewahd led the public forums and made speeches.

In a meeting in Mekelle on May 10, 2022, Debretsion Gebremichael said that the peaceful means to resolve the war has already been exhausted and called on the people to prepare for the ‘final stage’.

Reports of incursions have also appeared recently and there is a fear that a full military engagement may resume.

Recently, the Ethiopian government accused TPLF of ‘beating drums of war’ and appealed to the European Union to reprimand and urge TPLF to stop ushering in another potential war.

In this background, a Facebook post came out sharing five images to support a claim that they show Ethiopia’s C-130 Hercules jets.

The US government on June 6, 2018, delivered Ethiopia one C-130 Hercules aircraft to help the country in its peacekeeping operations, whose image is included among the five images of the post.

However, four of the five images were taken from other old publications and don’t show Ethiopian C-130 Hercules jets.

Image one

The image was taken from a video published on a YouTube channel on Jul 1, 2014, showing an Airbus A400M aircraft.

Image two

This image was snipped from a video clip released by the US Department of Defense on Twitter on Feb 28, 2018, picturing an AC-130 Hercules aircraft, nicknamed ‘the Angel of Death’.

Image three

The image was taken from a video published by the US Department of Defense and shows American crews training Ethiopian officers on how to maintain the C-130 Hercules aircraft delivered by the US to Ethiopia on June 6, 2018.

Image four

This image was a screenshot from a video published on YouTube on May 13, 2022. The video on the channel itself was also taken from another previous video published on Sep 15, 2020, on YouTube that shows an American C-130 Hercules aircraft.

Image five

Similar to image four, this image was a screenshot from a video published on YouTube on May 13, 2022. The video on the channel itself was also taken from another previous video published on Sep 15, 2020, on YouTube and explains the strength of the American C-130 Hercules aircraft.

Thus, it is found out that only one of the five images posted to support the claim was true. The rest four images were false and don’t show Ethiopia’s C-130 Hercules aircrafts.Therefore, HaqCheck rated the post PARTLY FALSE.

False: the picture doesn’t show an image of a fresh incursion by TPLF forces

A Telegram post emerged in a Telegram channel with over four thousand members claiming in a post that Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) forces opened a new attack in the Tigray-Amhara border areas.

The claim appeared amid fear of a resumption of war between the TPLF and federal-led forces.

However, HaqCheck interrogated the image and confirmed that it doesn’t show a new military engagement between the belligerents.

The protracted war between the TPLF and the federal government and its allied forces has remained unsolved.

There was also an unconfirmed report that Debretsion Gebremichael, TPLF chairman, and Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy directly talked to one another over the phone after the truce was announced.

In audio released on YouTube, a senior military leader of the TPLF armed forces disclosed that there were direct talks and stated that he and Tadesse Werede met Birhanu Jula, chief staff of ENDF in Mauritius.

Asked, Birhanu Jula denied the claim that he met with the senior TPLF military leaders.

TPLF has been stating that if the diplomatic means to end the war fail, it will resort to other means indicating that it will seek military means. TPLF has been accusing the federal government and regional authorities of blocking aid from entering Tigray and has complained the aid that has recently reached was below that need.

A week ago Prime Minister Abiy visited the ENDF forces in the town of Humera and observed its status.

Reports of incursions have also appeared and there is a fear that a full military engagement may resume.

In this background, a Telegram post came out claiming that there was an incursion around the border areas between the Amhara and Tigray regional states. The post used an image in a bid to prove the claim.

However, HaqCheck confirmed that the image was old and doesn’t prove the claim. The image was taken during the Ethio-Eritrea border war two decades ago and was published in 2019. It was used in an article written about the evolution of the Ethiopia-Eritrea relations from the border war to the recent rapprochement.

The same image was also falsely used in a YouTube video released in June 2021 claiming that TPLF forces struck ‘enemy forces’.

Therefore, HaqCheck rated the claim FALSE due to the usage of an inaccurate picture.

False: The image doesn’t show Italian troops surrendered to Ethiopia during the Battle of Adwa

An image was shared on May 3, 2022, on Facebook along with a text description that claims the picture to show Italian soldiers who surrendered to the Ethiopian army in the battle of Adwa.

The Facebook post was popular and was shared over three hundred times.

The same image was also fact-checked by HaqCheck last year.

However, HaqCheck interrogated the image and confirmed that the picture doesn’t support the claim. Therefore, the claim was rated FALSE.

The Battle of Adwa was a military confrontation between the Italian and Ethiopian army under the leadership of Emperor Menelik II on Mar 1, 1896. The one-day battle was near the present-day Adwa town in northern Ethiopia.

The Italian army advanced southwards from Eritrea to takeover Ethiopia as an Italian colony.

The Italian army led by General Oreste Baratieri was defeated by the Ethiopian troops.

Consequently, many Italian soldiers and askaris were killed and captured during the battle.

The post was made two days before the 81th commemoration of the Ethiopian Patriots Day celebrated on May 5, 2022. The day marks the end of the Italian occupation of Ethiopia and the arrival of Emperor Haile Selassie from exile in Addis Ababa on May 5, 1941.

In this context appeared the image-backed post claiming that the soldiers in the picture were Italian troops who surrendered to the Ethiopian army in the Battle of Adwa.

However, HaqCheck investigated the image and proved that the picture doesn’t show Italian troops who surrendered to Ethiopians during the battle.

The image, taken in April 1945 has been published on various sites including Encyclopedia. The sites state that the image shows a black American soldier of the 12th Armored Division guarding over a group of Nazi war prisoners captured in a forest in Germany during WWII. Therefore, HaqCheck rendered the claim FALSE due to the usage of an inaccurate image.

FALSE: Rwandan President Kagame didn’t call for America and UNSC’s direct intervention in Ethiopia.

A Facebook post appeared on Apr 25, sharing a screenshot of a tweet that reads, “Rwandan President Paul Kagame called on the Biden administration and the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) to directly intervene in the disputed Tigray region in Ethiopia.”

The post opined that the Rwandan president broke the silence and thanked him for calling the US and UNSC’s direct intervention in Ethiopia. It also calls on readers to share the post with others so that the information can reach many more. The post was viral and shared more than 64 times.

However, HaqCheck confirmed that Paul Kagame did not call for America and UNSC’s direct intervention in Ethiopia, and the screenshot was taken from a tweet made a year ago.

The armed conflict between the Tigray Peoples Liberation Front (TPLF) and the federal government of Ethiopia broke out in November 2020. Eritrea had been on the side of the Ethiopian government.

There were campaigns that called for the US and UNSC intervention in Ethiopia. Many also called for more effective UNSC involvement in Ethiopia.

On Apr 14, 2022, the UNSC discussed the situation in Ethiopia under the ‘any other business’ meeting category. The meeting was requested by three African countries; Gabon, Ghana, and Kenya which currently are non-permanent members of the Council.

Based on this background, the Facebook post came out claiming that the Rwandan President recently called on the US and UNSC to directly intervene in Ethiopia.

It presented a tweet screenshot misleading people into believing that it was recent.

The screenshot was taken from a tweet made on Feb 16, 2021, which is 14 months ago.

During an interview with the Hoover Institution on Feb 3, 2021, Rwandan President Kagame called on the US and the United Nations to collaborate and engage Africans in solving conflicts including the Tigray armed conflict in Ethiopia.

He did not call for a US and UNSC direct intervention in Ethiopia. He only recommended a concerted effort among the US, UN, Africans, and others to solve Ethiopia’s armed conflict.

Therefore, HaqCheck confirmed that Paul Kagame did not demand American and UNSC direct intervention to solve Ethiopia’s armed conflict. The screenshot was also taken from a tweet made a year ago.

In this regard, HaqCheck rendered the post FALSE.

MISLEADING: Eritrea didn’t recently agree to withdraw troops

On Apr 18, a misleading claim appeared alleging that Eritrea recently agreed to withdraw its troops from Ethiopia’s Tigray Regional State.

A screenshot of the news was shared with a text in Amharic that reads, “We are getting close to the beginning of the end. There will be no better time than this for those who claim to fight for the cause of Oromia.” Many people reacted to the post and it was shared on the platform over six times.

However, HaqCheck investigated the matter and found out that the news was from a year ago published on Reuters.

There has been an armed conflict between the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) and the Ethiopian government since Nov 3, 2020.

The Eritrean government had also been involved in the armed conflict on the side of the federal government of Ethiopia. There have been repeated calls from the international communities to withdraw its troops from the Tigray regional state.

Recently the Ethiopian government and TPLF agreed upon a humanitarian truce. Since then, humanitarian aid has been reported to enter Tigray after months.

In this context, a misleading Facebook post appeared claiming that Eritrea recently agreed to begin withdrawing troops from areas of the Tigray Regional State. The post didn’t say the claim directly but rather misled people into understanding that Eritrea is pulling back its soldiers from Ethiopia.

However, the referred news that Eritrea agreed to withdraw soldiers from Ethiopia is old. The screenshot of the news by Reuters was taken a year ago.

On Apr 16, 2021, Eritrea, in a letter written to the United Nations Security Council, admitted its troops are found in Ethiopia and agreed to start withdrawing from the Tigray region. The news was then published among others by Reuters. But the Facebook post presented a screenshot of the news, deceiving people that the news was recent.Therefore, HaqCheck rated the claim MISLEADING.

Is the World Bank’s recent financial support to Ethiopia LOAN or GRANT?

Recently, HaqCheck observed controversial statements on social media, mainly on Twitter, in the context of the World Bank’s announcement of financial provision to Ethiopia.

Some said that the support was a loan while others stated that the financial provision was a grant.

Here are some of the contrasting statements that appeared on Twitter regarding the issue:

The World Bank announced on Apr 12, that it approved a 300 million US dollars grant for Ethiopia. The grant aims at helping the country address the aftermath of the conflict in five regional states including Tigray, Afar, Amhara, Oromia, and Benishangul Gumuz.

The Bank stated that the support will be given to Ethiopia in the form of an International Development Association (IDA) grant for the Response-Recovery-Resilience for Conflict-Affected Communities in Ethiopia Project.

What is an IDA grant?

The International Development Association (IDA), established in 1960, is one wing of the World Bank. The IDA and International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) together form the World Bank. The former provides financial, technical, and policy support to the poorest developing countries like Ethiopia. On the other hand, IBRD helps middle income and credit-worthy poor countries.

IDA mainly gives three kinds of support to the poorest states: grants, zero to low-interest loans, and policy advice.

Thus, according to the World Bank’s recent statement, the financial support approved to Ethiopia is a 300 million dollars grant via the IDA, one of the two institutions of the Bank.

However, HaqCheck observed claims across the Ethiopian social media milieu that the financial provision is a loan. Some also said it is a grant. They seemed to use the two terms interchangeably.

What is the difference between grant and loan?

Merriam Webster dictionary defines grant as a sum of money or gift given by one entity to another for a particular purpose. And defines loan as an amount of money a lender gives to a borrower for temporary use and usually at interest. A loan is repayable while grants are given with no supposition of repayment.

According to the World Bank, IDA offers two types of financial assistance; concessional loans (credits) and grants. The loans are with zero or very low interest charges and are repayable in 30 to 40 years. The grants IDA provided to the poorest countries are assistance given with no future repayments.

Therefore, the recently approved support by the World Bank to Ethiopia was a GRANT, not a LOAN. The 300 million dollars IDA grant will be given to Ethiopia with no future repayment responsibility. It means that it is a gift.

Thus, HaqCheck confirmed that the World Bank’s recent financial support given to Ethiopia is a GRANT, not a LOAN, and rated the claims asserting it is a loan, FALSE.

Are HR6600 and S3199 already ratified? Can Russia and China veto them?

Social media posts and misleading reports are circulating on the media landscape regarding the recent developments of the two draft bills called HR6600 and S3199 proposed to coerce the Ethiopian government to comply with the conditions the United States laid down to end the conflict in Tigray.

HaqCheck observed some false and misleading social media claims and reports on the issue. Some of the posts claimed that the S3199 bill is already approved as law. While others said the HR6600 draft was suspended due to objections from Russia and China.

To mention some instances of these claims and controversies:

S3199 is approved. This law is focused on the arms embargo. And next HR6600 will inevitably be approved.” Link
“The American Senate approved S3199.” Link
“The approved law of S3199 and…” Link

“The American Senate approved S3199.”Link
“The American Senate approved S3199.” Link
“The American Senate approved S3199.” Link

“The HR6600 that was initiated to kill Ethiopia is dropped because of objections from Russia and China who are always at our rescue in critical times.” Link
“The American Senate approved S3199.” Link
“The HR6600 is suspended due to objections from Russia and China.” Link

To begin with, the HR6600 draft bill called Ethiopia Stabilization, Peace, and Democracy Act was introduced on Feb 4, 2022. The proposed bill that was initiated by Bob Menendez, a member of the American Senate, and co-sponsored by US Congressmen Michael McCaul and Gregory Meeks intends to impose sanctions on belligerents to end the armed conflict in Ethiopia’.

The sanctions include blocking of properties, visa restrictions, and prohibition of assistance from the US and international financial institutions.

The other draft bill, S3199 is called Ethiopia Peace and Democracy Promotion Act of 2021 and was introduced on Nov 4, 2021. If ratified as a law, it will impose sanctions on those who would help and provide the parties involved in the armed conflict in northern Ethiopia with weapons or military resources. It proposed that the US government would work to oppose any loan or extension of financial or technical assistance from international institutions to Ethiopia and Eritrea. The bill was proposed by Tom Malinowski, a member of the US House of Representatives.

The proposed bills were topics of discussion and controversies on the Ethiopian social media landscape.

There were campaigns in the US and elsewhere opposing the draft bills and supporting its ratification as well.

The Ethiopian government had been calling for protests in opposition to the proposed bills. Demeke Mekonnen, Foreign Minister and Deputy PM called on the Ethiopian diaspora on Mar 22, 2022, to protest against the drafted HR6600 and S3199 bills.

Spokesperson of the Ethiopian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Dina Mufti said on Mar 24, 2022, that the Ethiopian diaspora should intensify the protests against the ratification process of the two drafts.

Recently, rallies were held in America, Washington DC protesting against HR6600 and S3199.

In this context, false claims and misleading statements emerged and are being disseminated across the Ethiopian social media landscape.

The first major claim was that the bills were dropped due to the objection from Russia and China. However, the draft bills would be approved and implemented at the national level in the US, since they are initiated by bodies of the American government. Besides, the bills would be enacted unilaterally by the US. They are not sanctions to be decided upon by multilateral institutions such as the UN agencies or multilateral agreements. And Russia and China can not veto them as they only have this power at the UN Security Council.

The second controversial claim regarding the draft bills is that S3199 was recently approved as a law.

The two drafted bills should pass through five stages to become law. The stages are; introduction to Foreign Relations Committees, approval by Senate, approval by House, approval by the President, and becoming law.

If a bill is proposed by a Senate member, the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations (SCFR) votes on and passes it to the full Senate. But if a bill is proposed by a member of the House of Representatives, the House Committee on Foreign Relations (HCFR) votes on and passes it to the full House of Representatives.

The draft bill of S3199 was proposed by a Senator. The SCFR then passed the draft on Mar 29, 2022, to the Senate to be voted on. To be law, this draft bill should be approved by the Senate, the House of Representatives, and the US President. The draft bills need a double majority vote, from Senate and House, to be passed on to the President for signature.

On the other hand, the draft bill HR6600 was proposed by a member of the House of Representatives. It was voted on by the HCFR and passed to the US House of Representatives on Feb 8, 2022. Similarly, this proposed bill has to be approved by the Representatives, Senators, and the President to be enacted as law.

Thus, these two drafted bills are not yet law. They are in process and have to pass through three stages; the Senate, the House, and the President to be considered as law and for implementation.

Is Girma Wake appointed as CEO of Ethiopian Airlines?

On Mar 23, 2022, a tweet appeared on a Twitter page that claim to belong to a local weekly English newspaper reporting that Girma Wake is appointed as CEO and Board Chairman of Ethiopian Airlines.

At the time this article was published, the tweet was shared 15 times and got 71 reactions.

However, HaqCheck looked into the claim and confirmed that the claim is PARTLY FALSE.

The long-serving Group CEO of Ethiopian Airlines Tewolde GebreMariam announced his resignation due to health issues on Mar 23, 2022. The Board of Ethiopian Airlines held an ordinary meeting on the same day and accepted Tewolde GebreMariam’s resignation.

Instantly, the Board of the Airlines announced the appointment of Girma Wake, former CEO as Board Chairman.

In this context, the Twitter account with over 28 thousand followers came up with a tweet claiming that Girma Wake is appointed as the CEO and Board Chairman of Ethiopian Airlines which was established in 1945 as a joint venture with the American Trans World Airlines.

According to the 2019/20 annual report of Ethiopian Airlines, it has eleven board members including Arkebe Okubay (Ph.D.) and Dagmawit Moges, Minister of Transport and Logistics.

HaqCHeck looked into the claim and counter-checked the statement issued by Ethiopian Airlines regarding the acceptance of the resignation of the former CEO and the appointment of Girma Wake as Board Chairman. Girma Wake who previously was CEO of the airline for seven years replaced the formed Board Chairman Abadula Gemeda.

Thus, HaqCheck found the claim to be partly false.

The statement released by the Board of Ethiopian Airlines on Mar 23, 2022, stated that the Management Board would shortly announce the new Group CEO and successor to Tewolde GebreMariam.

Thereafter on Mar 24, 2022, it was reported that Mesfin Tasew, former Chief Operating Officer was appointed as the new CEO of the airline.

(Image: Mesfin Tasew, the new CEO of Ethiopian Airlines)

Therefore, HaqCheck confirmed that Girma Wake was not appointed as CEO of the flag-carrier Ethiopian Airlines and rated the claim PARTLY FALSE.

False: Tamrat Negera is not released

A claim appeared on Facebook on Feb 15, 2022 that Tamrat Negera, editor-in-chief of Terara Network, was released from prison. The caption of the Facebook post which shared a picture that shows Tamrat Negera and others reads, “We were told by our brother Yonas Weldeyes that Tamrat Negera is released. Extrajudicial detention has to be stopped.”

Tamrat Negera was arrested on Dec 10, 2021. He was taken from his house and his whereabouts were not disclosed for a week. Later, he appeared at court on Dec 16.

After the arrest, Addis Ababa Police transferred the journalist to Gelan City Police Department in the Oromia Regional State.

His case was finally transferred to the state of emergency so that the detainee wouldn’t need another court appearance schedule.

On Feb 15, 2022 the House of Peoples’ Representatives lifted the state of emergency that was declared in the beginning of November last year.

Henceforth, the Ethiopian Human Rights Commission released a statement and urged the government that people detained in relation to the state of emergency should be released.

It is in this scenario the claim that Tamrat Negera is released from prison emerged.

However, the image used in the post was first published on Facebook on Aug 7, 2021 by the name Tamrat Negera. The image was also recently shared along with a tweet that demands the release of Tamrat Negera on Feb 14. The caption of the tweet made on Feb 14, 2022 reads, “If the Parliament lifted the state of emergency, I hope Tamrat Negera and others detained in relation to the state of emergency would be released.”

Moreover, HaqCheck instantly reached out to Tamrat Negera’s family and confirmed that he was not released yet.

Therefore, HaqCheck rated the post FALSE.

Did the Council of Ministers lift the state of emergency?

Reuters, on Jan 26, reported that Ethiopia’s cabinet approved the lifting of the ongoing state of emergency. The media outlet published a news article titled, “Ethiopia’s cabinet approves lifting of the state of emergency.” However, HaqCheck has examined the issue and rated the claim MISLEADING.

The war which erupted between Tigray People Liberation Front (TPLF) forces and the federal government in Nov 2020 is still protracted. The federal government withdrew from Mekelle in June 2020. Thereafter, TPLF forces advanced southward and expanded their control as far as Debre Sina town of the Amhara Regional State.

As the war intensified in the neighboring Afar and Amhara regions, the federal government declared a state of emergency instantly to be valid for a six months period throughout the country.

Then, the Ethiopian Government launched counter-offensives against TPLF forces and pushed them out of the Amhara and Afar regional states. At the end of its operation, the government announced that its forces would not advance further into Tigray. It stated that its forces would stay in areas the Tigray Regional State shares borders with Amhara and Afar regions.

Recently, the government freed prominent political figures including Jawar Mohammed and Sebhat Nega from prison. There have also been reports that the federal government and TPLF forces will negotiate on a cease-fire to end the armed conflict.

On Jan 26, Ethiopia’s Council of Ministers passed a proposal of ending the state of emergency declared in November last year to be submitted to the House of Peoples’ Representatives (HPR) for approval.

Following the statement, Reuters came out with a news article that Ethiopia’s cabinet of ministers lifted the state of emergency.

However, HaqCheck fact-checked the claim and found it MISLEADING.

It is true that the Council of Ministers approved a proposal to end the state of emergency. But the cabinet has no legal mandate to lift it by a decision without the approval of the HPR. Hence, the cabinet sends the proposal to the HPR for ratification.

The sub-article two of article 11 of the proclamation of the state of emergency declared on Nov 2, 2021, states that the HPR can lift the state of emergency ahead of its expiration.

Therefore, HaqCheck rated it MISLEADING.