Although fighting in Ethiopia’s north appears to have subsided, a durable peace cannot be established unless the parties involved resolve their outstanding differences.
The TPLF leader, Debretsion Gebremichael, made this statement during the first visit to the region by a high-level government team since the signing of the peace pact when he emphasised that the nearly two-year long battle could only end with the withdrawal of Eritrean military and Amhara militias.
An official with the Tigray People’s Liberation Front claimed that the army had “invaded” the area and that civilians were being “killed, massacred” as a result.
Due to limitations on movement and communication, it is impossible to confirm the situation in Tigray independently.
Fighters from the neighbouring Amhara region and Eritrea have lent their support to the federal authorities.
The Ethiopian government has been silent on whether or not these combatants intend to withdraw from Tigray. The peace agreement between the government and the TPLF rebels does not include this either.
African Union ambassador Olusegun Obasanjo, mediating the discussions, has demanded the departure of “foreign troops.”
After a suspension that lasted for eighteen months, Ethiopia’s national airline, Ethiopian Airlines, has announced that it will begin operating commercial flights to the war-torn area of Tigray on Wednesday (December 28).
There are more indications of a return to normalcy, such as the partial restoration of banking and telephone services.