Ethiopia declares Tigray ceasefire as rebels enter regional capital

The conflict in Tigray began in November, when Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed sent troops in to oust the dissident regional leadership. MEKELE, Ethiopia: Ethiopia's federal government on Monday declared a"unilateral ceasefire" in its war-torn Tigray region, state media reported, as rebel fighters entered the regional capital Mekele sparking celebrations in the streets.

The ceasefire will last until the end of the current"farming season" and is intended to facilitate agricultural production and aid distribution while allowing rebel fighters"to return to a peaceful road", it said.AdvertisementUN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said Monday he had spoken with Abiy, winner of the 2019 Nobel Peace Prize, and was"hopeful that an effective cessation of hostilities will take place".

He said the move came in response to attacks by the regional ruling party, the Tigray People's Liberation Front , on federal army camps.Abiy promised a swift victory, and federal troops took control of Mekele in late November. The official said Tigray's Abiy-appointed interim government had earlier opted to leave their posts in Mekele as TDF fighters closed in"on every side".

"The federal police and Ethiopian forces are fleeing the city in cars they took from individuals. They seem to be going east," one witness said.

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