Ethiopia’s authorities announce ceasefire as Tigrayan troops retake area’s capital

Ethiopia's government announce ceasefire as Tigrayan troops retake region's capital

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Tigrayan forces on Tuesday had not accepted the truce.

The Ethiopian military has been in control of much of Tigray since last November, when it launched a major assault on the region with the support of Eritrean soldiers and local ethnic militias in an effort to remove the region’s ruling party, the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF), from power. The armed wing of the TPLF, known as the Tigray Defense Forces, had steadily been gearing up for the offensive and in recent days kicked off a coordinated push to recapture Mekelle.

The Tigrayan counterattack was a big blow for Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, who had declared victory in late November last year when Ethiopia’s military overran the city of a half-million people.

Since then, the ongoing conflict has killed thousands, forced millions to flee, fueled famine and severely damaged the international reputation of Ethiopia’s Nobel Peace Prize-winning leader.

Less than a week into the offensive by Tigrayan forces, the…

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