Tigray Rebels Reject Calls for Ceasefire, Forces Would Not Rest Until the Ethiopian Military Leave the Region

Rebel forces in the Tigray, currently devastated by war, have refused a ceasefire offer from the central government. This raised concerns of further brutality one day following the fighters retaking the regional capital Mekelle. The retreat of Ethiopian government troops and the recapture of the city by Tigrayan combatters on Monday marked a remarkable about-turn in the nation's devastating civil war of eight months.

This prompted street celebrations and forced officials to escape. Residents reported scenes of joy with fireworks and thousands waved flags.

Tigrayan Fighters

Tigrayan fighters have taken control of more territory in the devastated northern Ethiopian region of Tigray. This happened one day after regaining the regional capital Mekelle from retreating federal government forces and vowing to drive all "enemies" out. The military advances and rhetoric cast doubt on whether the unilateral ceasefire announced on Monday by the federal government in Ethiopia's capital Addis Ababa would actually lead to a halt in the siege that has recorded thousands of fatalities. This pushed numerous people towards famine conditions and has displaced millions, reported Aljareeza.

Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, who won the 2019 Nobel Peace Prize, sent troops into Tigray on November 2020 to oust the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF), the northern region's former ruling party. According to him, the move came in response to TPLF attacks on federal army camps. He pledged that victory would be swift, reported France 24.

Upon Mekelle's capture, the Ethiopian government declared a unilateral truce for many months. However, on Tuesday, Tigrayan forces ruled out a ceasefire; a spokesperson for the region's ruling party said their forces would not rest until the Ethiopian military and its allied forces had fleed the whole region, reported CNN.

There had been a recent upsurge in battling between the government forces outside Mekelle and Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF). A quick offensive resulted in the unprecedented recapture of the city by the rebels on Monday.

Ahmed sent troops into Tigray to remove the northern region's former ruling party TPLF. He stated that the move came in response to TPLF attacks on federal army camps. This claim was rejected by the TPLF which accused Ahmed's government and neighboring Eritrea of initiating a "coordinated attack" against it.

On Monday, Ahmed's military experienced a dramatic reversal when rebels known as the Tigray Defence Forces (TDF) reclaimed Mekele, merely about a week after launching a major counter-offensive. They followed that action on Tuesday by entering the town of Shire, around 140 kilometres (90 miles) northwest of Mekele, according to a UN security source and a security assessment document read by AFP.

According to Getachew Reda, spokesperson for TPLF, they will not be part of such a joke in response to the government proposal. He said that the capital is firmly in the hands of their forces.