TDF gives tough conditions for ceasefire in Ethiopia's Tigray region

MEKELLE, Ethiopia - The Tigray Defense Forces [TDF] formerly Tigray People's Liberation Front [TPLF] issued tough conditions for the embracement of ceasefire in Ethiopia, just a week after Ethiopia National Defense Forces [ENDF] withdrew from Mekelle.

In an unlikely move, thousands of troops left the regional administrative capital of Tigray, Mekelle as TDF claimed that it had "defeated" the enemy. However, Addis Ababa maintained that the withdrawal was guided by the ceasefire he declared to among others, allow access by humanitarian teams.

On Sunday, however, TDF issued a 7-point statement highlighting key issues that Addis Ababa must do for it to embrace a ceasefire. Both sides have been frequently facing pressure from International Community to call for a ceasefire.

The TDF demanded that Amhara regional forces who have been fighting in Tigray withdraw completely before it engages the federal government about the ceasefire. The troops were carrying operations with ENDF.

TPLF, the regional authority has driven out last year by Ethiopian forces and troops from neighboring Eritrea, returned to the region's capital Mekelle on Monday to cheering crowds.

Their return was followed by a unilateral declaration of a ceasefire by Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed's government, a move dismissed by TPLF spokesperson Getachew Reda as a "joke".

A statement from "The Government of Tigray", released on Sunday by Getachew, said it would accept a ceasefire in principle if there were ironclad guarantees of no further invasions but a series of other conditions would need to be met before any agreement could be formalized.

"Invading forces from Amhara and Eritrea must withdraw from Tigray and return to their pre-war territories," the statement said.

There was no immediate comment from the Prime Minister's spokeswoman and the chairman of the government task force set up to coordinate the security operation in Tigray. The government has often released rejoinders to some of those statements.

For decades, TPLF dominated the central government before Abiy came to power in 2018. His government has been battling the TPLF since late last year after accusing it of attacking military bases in Tigray. Thousands have been killed.

More than 400,000 people in the region are now facing famine and there is a risk of more clashes in the region despite the unilateral ceasefire by the federal government, the United Nations warned on Friday. read more

In its statement, the government of Tigray said it wanted unfettered access for aid into the region, as well as the full provision of essential services such as electricity, telecommunications, banking, healthcare, and education.

The statement said the United Nations should establish an independent body to investigate war crimes and an international entity to oversee the implementation of any ceasefire deal should be created.

Further, it also demanded the immediate release of all ethnic Tigrayan political leaders and members of the national defense force who are being held in prisons around the country.

GAROWE ONLINE