Ethiopia announces ceasefire after rebels seize capital Tigray

Ethiopia announced a unilateral ceasefire in its eight-month war in the northern Tigray region on Monday. Hours after separatist fighters enter the provincial capital to attack the government of Africa’s second-most populous country.

Witnesses said hundreds of Tigrayans took to Mekelle Street, waving flags and singing. As rebels armed with AK-47 rifles, also known as Tigray Defense Forces, marched through the suburbs throughout the day, Ethiopian troops on camouflage trucks were leaving the city after a strategic defeat. It was several days in a growing bloody guerrilla war. an eyewitness said

Mekel’s arrest It serves as the de facto capital for many humanitarian aid agencies operating in the region. and a federal ceasefire announcement It could signal a decisive change in the conflict. Last month, the United States imposed sanctions on officials in Ethiopia. which is one of the main partners in Africa It pointed to allegations of widespread atrocities against civilians in Tigray.

It is unclear how Tigrayan forces will respond to the ceasefire announced by the government of Ethiopia̵

There was no immediate response from nearby Eritrea. in which the troops fought alongside the Ethiopians and his leader, Isaias Afverki, who was opposed to the Tigrayan rebels.