Ethiopia declares a ceasefire in Tigray as rebels take control of the regional capital

Last updated on September 11th, 2021 at 07:57 am

On Monday, Ethiopia declared a “unilateral ceasefire” in Tigray, claiming that rebels had retaken Mekelle, the regional capital.

Addis Ababa announced in a statement that it was delaying hostilities to avoid disrupting the planting season and to allow humanitarian aid to be distributed. The United Nations Security Council has been summoned to an emergency meeting to discuss the situation in the country.

These events, according to UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres, are “extremely worrying.”  “They demonstrate, once again, that there is no military solution to the crisis,” he said, saying he was confident that an effective cessation of hostilities will take place.

READMORE: Protesters in Mali demand that French troops leave, while others urge for stronger Russian help

According to diplomatic sources, the United States, Ireland, and the United Kingdom called for an emergency public meeting of the United Nations Security Council on Tigray on Monday, which might take place on Friday.

On November 28, three weeks after Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed began an offensive after regional forces attacked and killed federal troops, Mekelle fell to the federal army.

Despite the proclamation of triumph with the fall of Mekelle, fighting continued between pro-Tigray Peoples Liberation Front forces and the Ethiopian army.

Last week, the rebels launched an onslaught when much of the rest of the country was preparing for highly anticipated national elections, the results of which have yet to be declared.