The Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) rebels claim to have captured key towns in the southern Tigray region as part of a new military offensive. The TPLF’s announcement comes two weeks after the Ethiopian government led by Prime Minister (PM) Abiy Ahmed declared a unilateral ceasefire in the war-torn region.
On Tuesday, Reuters reported the rebels saying that they began the offensive on Monday and sought to recapture territories in the south until Tigray’s “pre-war boundaries are restored.” TPLF spokesperson Getachew Reda told the agency that rebels were in control of Korem, a town 170-kilometres south of regional capital Mekelle, and intended to seize the significant town of Alamata, 20 kilometres further south.
The area that the TPLF seeks to capture has also been claimed by Amhara militias aligned with government troops. The TPLF’s offensive has prompted Amhara leaders to urge local militias to take up arms and mobilise, raising the possibility of deteriorating the already volatile security situation. Reuters further mentioned that Tigrayan rebels had crossed the deep gorge of the Mekeze river and captured the southern town of Mai Tsebri on Tuesday.
The Ethiopian military and government are yet to comment on the territorial gains made by the group.
Also Read: Over 7,000 Captured Ethiopian Soldiers Paraded Through Tigray Streets by Rebels
Last month, PM Abiy’s government announced a unilateral ceasefire in Tigray after almost eight months of brutal conflict. As government troops started withdrawing from Tigray, TPLF militants immediately launched an offensive to capture Mekelle. The group has vowed to continue the offensive until “every square inch of territory is cleared” from government troops. The rebels also called for the complete withdrawal of Eritrean forces and Amhara militants before it engages in any talks with the Ethiopian government about a ceasefire.
Also Read: Airstrike Leaves Over 50 Dead in Tigray
In this regard, the United Nations Human Rights Council “called for the swift and verifiable withdrawal of Eritrean troops from the Tigray region,” citing grave “human rights violations and abuses.” On Monday, United States State Department spokesperson Ned Price called on all actors “to move towards a negotiated ceasefire in the interests of civilians in the region and to preserve the unity of the Ethiopian state.”
Also Read: US to Give $181m in Aid to War-Torn Tigray
Ethiopia has been in the middle of a severe humanitarian and political crisis since November last year, when the PM ordered a military response to an attack on a federal army camp in Tigray by the TPLF. The fighting quickly boiled over into a full-scale armed invasion by Ethiopian troops, who partnered with Eritrean soldiers in their operation. Ethiopian and Eritrean forces have also been accused of committing widespread atrocities against civilians, including massacres and using rape as a weapon of war.