After Tigrayan troops retook Mekelle, the regional capital, on Monday evening, the Ethiopian government declared an instant and unilateral ceasefire, marking a remarkable 180-degree shift in Ethiopia’s northern Tigray province’s horrific eight-month civil war.
The truce was rejected by Tigrayan forces on Tuesday and vowed to force enemies out of the region. Ethiopian officials are now threatening to send troops back to the region.
The Ethiopian military has occupied much of Tigray since November when it launched a major onslaught on the province with the support of Eritrean soldiers and local ethnic militias in an attempt to undermine the region’s ruling party, the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF).
WHAT IS REALLY GOING ON IN TIGRAY, ETHIOPIA?
The Tigrayan counter-offensive was a big defeat for Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, who declared victory when Ethiopian soldiers grabbed control of the 500,000-person metropolis in late November last year.
Since then, the continued violence has killed thousands, driven millions to flee, fueled hunger, and badly harmed Ethiopia’s Nobel Peace Prize-winning leader’s worldwide reputation.