More pressure piled on all sides in Ethiopia to end hostilities

A year after winning the Nobel Peace Prize in 2019, Ethiopia's Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed is now facing the prospect of civil war within his country. (Siobhán O'Grady/The Washington Post)

NEW YORK - A number of stakeholders have renewed calls to have the Tigray Defense Forces [TDF] and Ethiopian National Defense Forces [ENDF] to immediately end hostilities and embrace a ceasefire for the sake of peace and stability.

The two parties have been fighting for a year now and the conflict seemed to intensify this week after TDF threatened to storm Addis Ababa, the capital of Ethiopia. The Tigray rebels seem to be gaining ground according to authorities.

And in a series of statements, a number of stakeholders asked the two parties to bury a hatchet for the sake of stability, adding that the conflict has escalated the humanitarian crisis in the Horn of Africa nation.

"The conflict in Ethiopia must come to an end. Peace negotiations should begin immediately without preconditions in pursuit of a ceasefire," Antony Blinken, the US Secretary of State said, adding that the world will no longer watch both parties commit atrocities.

"We have been alarmed by reports of the TPLF further expansion of the conflict in Amhara and Afar," US Embassy in Addis Ababa noted. "Continued fighting only prolongs the humanitarian crisis that is afflicting far too many people in Ethiopia today. All parties must begin ceasefire negotiations without preconditions."

From Europe, the government of Turkey joined other stakeholders in calling for peace and stability, arguing that the two sides should iron out their differences through constructive dialogue for the sake of peace.

Turkey further noted the existing good relationship between Ankara and Addis Ababa, adding that it is ready to offer any necessary support to the struggling Horn of Africa nation, which is also dealing with a host of internal challenges.

"We urge an immediate ceasefire for the urgent cessation of the violence and call for the establishment of peace and stability, and we invite the parties to dialogue. We reiterate our readiness to provide all kinds of support to this end," Ankara said.

"Turkey, as a country enjoying friendly relations based on historical and cultures bonds with all ethnic groups in Ethiopia, will continue its humanitarian aid that was already extended from the beginning of clashes to Ethiopia including Tigray."

On its part, the UN security council expressed deep concern about the expansion and intensification of military clashes in Ethiopia. UNSC called for an end to the fighting and for talks on a lasting ceasefire, refraining from inflammatory hate speech and incitement to violence and divisiveness.

GAROWE ONLINE