Rebels seize control of Tigray’s capital Mekelle from government forces

The Ethiopian government has declared a unilateral ceasefire as rebels vow to fight on

Ethiopian government soldiers ride in the back of a truck on a road near Agula, north of Mekelle, in early May (AP)

Rebel forces in Ethiopia’s Tigray region are back in control of the regional capital Mekelle after nearly eight months of fighting with government forces.

There were scenes of jubilation in the city by residents as rebel troops were seen for the first time since they were driven out by the government in November.

The Ethiopian government has declared a unilateral ceasefire with immediate effect.

It comes after recent reports of fierce fighting between government forces and Tigray‘s former governing party, the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF), outside the capital.

The developments marked a dramatic turn in a conflict that has killed thousands of people, displaced more than 2 million and pushed hundreds of thousands to the brink of famine.

“The capital of Tigray, Mekelle, is under our control,” Getachew Reda, a TPLF spokesperson, told Reuters by satellite phone on Monday night.

Ethiopia’s government said it was declaring a ceasefire following a request from the interim regional administration in Tigray, which Addis Ababa appointed after ousting TPLF forces.

“This unilateral ceasefire declaration starts from today June 28, 2021 and will stay until the farming season ends,” the federal government said in a statement late on Monday. Ethiopia’s main planting season lasts from May to September.

“Until all our enemies leave Tigray, we will fight,” Liya Kassa, another TPLF spokesperson, said in an audio statement posted late on Monday on the Facebook page of the party-affiliated Tigrai Media House.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said he had spoken to Abiy and was “hopeful that an effective cessation of hostilities will take place.

“It is essential that civilians are protected, humanitarian aid reach the people in need and a political solution is found,” Guterres said in a statement.

The UN Security Council is likely to meet on Tigray this week at the request of the United States, Ireland and Britain.

Witnesses in the city told Reuters that after rebel forces surrounded the Martyrs’ Memorial Monument, some civilians entered the streets to celebrate and fireworks lit up the sky.

Some of those gathered chanted “Abiy is a thief!”, while others sang songs honouring the TPLF and waved the region’s red and yellow flag.

Earlier on Monday, residents reported seeing government soldiers pack up vehicles and withdraw from positions they held in Mekelle.

The UN children’s agency accused Ethiopian government troops of dismantling satellite equipment in UNICEF’s office in Mekelle on Monday.

“This act violates UN privileges and immunities and the rules of International Humanitarian Law regarding respect for humanitarian relief objects,” UNICEF Executive Director Henrietta Fore said in a statement.

The government did not respond to a request for comment on the accusation.

UNICEF last week warned that at least 33,000 severely malnourished children face “imminent risk of death” without more aid reaching Tigray‘s people.

Additional reporting by agencies