Foreign missions call for urgent cessation of hostilities in Northern Ethiopia

Multiple foreign embassies and high commissions in Addis Ababa have strongly urged for a cessation of hostilities following escalating tensions in Northern Ethiopia (Tigray region).

“There must be no return to violence. We strongly urge all parties to protect the agreement by de-escalating and engaging in urgent dialogue. We stand ready to support,” the missions comprised of among others US, UK, Sweden, and Germany said in a joint statement.

Tigray was the scene of one of the most devastating wars of the century between 2020 and 2022, having claimed as much as 600,000 lives at the time when the war broke out pitting local forces against the federal government, allied militias and Eritrean soldiers.

The war ended in November 2022 after a peace agreement dubbed the Pretoria Agreement was signed by the federal government and the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF).

The sides had agreed to permanent cessation of hostilities, humanitarian access disarmament, demobilization and reintegration measures but the region has not yet found stability.

Since then, disputes between rival factions intensified recently with the region’s embattled administrator appealing for help from the federal government after a rival faction challenged his power.

Tigray politician Getachew Reda was challenged by his former ally, the leader of the Tigray People's Liberation Front, Debretsion Gebremichael on Tuesday with forces loyal to Debretsion partly took control of Adigrat, the region’s second-largest city raising tensions amongst the population.

The foreign embassies urged the parties to protect the Pretoria Agreement by de-escalating and engaging in urgent dialogue.

Other Topics To Read

• Ethiopia
• tigray war
• tigray conflict
• tigray conflict ethiopia
• tigray crisis
• tigray humanitarian crisis
• Ethiopia Tigray war
• Foreign missions call for urgent cessation of hostilities in Northern Ethiopia
• Headlines