Tigray’s rebel forces in northern Ethiopia have asked the world community to impose an immediate truce between them and the Ethiopian government or to assist them in defending themselves, according to a statement on Twitter.
What’s happening
The Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) urged the international community to “compel the Eritrean army to withdraw from Tigray” and “push the Ethiopian government to come to the negotiating table.”
Eritrea, an ally of the Ethiopian government, has been assisting its neighbour in the war against the rebel troops. The TPLF stated that if nothing was done, it would be obliged to fight on.
Going further
It stated that it was willing to accept “an immediate suspension of hostilities” if the Ethiopian government was forced to talk for peace. Earlier, the African Union (AU) called for a quick and unconditional ceasefire between the group and Ethiopian forces as combat in the north resurfaced.
As intense violence continues in the Tigray region, the Ethiopian government has made no response to either the AU or the TPLF claims. Peace talks that were scheduled earlier were postponed due to logistics and intense fighting continued in the region.