In the aftermath of the ultimatum posed by the Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed to the rebel forces of the state of Tigray to surrender before an offensive against the local capital Mekelle, the United Nations urged, Monday, November 23, Ethiopia to ensure the protection of civilians,

Clashes, which erupted on November 4 between Ethiopian government forces and the Tigray regional army, have left hundreds, if not thousands, dead.

Catherine Sozi, UN humanitarian coordinator for Ethiopia, said she hoped the safety of aid workers and the "protection of the more than 525,000 civilians (non-combatants) residing in Mekelle" would be guaranteed.

She also called for the protection of "all civilian infrastructure such as health centers, schools and the water network".

In a statement on Twitter, the Ethiopian government said the military had taken "great care" to protect civilians since the start of operations in Tigray.

We urge everyone, to be mindful of out of context quotes that misconstrue statements and convey messages opposed to the original intent and meaning.

pic.twitter.com/bgBrQyxZPx

- Ethiopia State of Emergency Fact Check (@SOEFactCheck) November 23, 2020

An ultimatum

Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed gave, on Sunday, 72 hours to the leaders of the dissident region of Tigray, the target of a military offensive and threatened with a "ruthless" assault, to lay down their arms.

Nobel Peace Prize winner in 2019, Abiy Ahmed launched this operation on November 4, accusing officials of the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF), in power in this northern region of the country, of seeking to destabilize the federal government and to have attacked two Ethiopian military bases in the region, which the Tigrayan authorities deny.

"The road to your destruction is coming to an end and we ask you to surrender within the next 72 hours," Abiy Ahmed wrote in a statement to leaders of the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF) which runs the region.

"You are at a point of no return. Take this last chance," he added.

Dear fellow Ethiopians, pic.twitter.com/3H9XXSiFM7

- Abiy Ahmed Ali 🇪🇹 (@AbiyAhmedAli) November 22, 2020

The Ethiopian army had previously warned of an imminent attack on Mekele, the capital of Tigray and seat of the local government that the federal government seeks to dislodge, calling on civilians to flee while there is still time.

TPLF chief Debretsion Gebremichael responded on Sunday by promising to wage "fierce battles" to curb the advance of the Ethiopian army.

“They will continue to pay for every move,” he said.

He also warned that an attack on Mekele would not mark the end of the conflict: "As long as the occupying force is in Tigray, the fighting will not cease".

No precise record of the fighting, which has killed at least hundreds of people since November 4, is available from an independent source.

But more than 36,000 Ethiopians have already reached Sudan, according to the Sudan Refugee Commission.

So far, the two camps have not responded to calls for de-escalation from the international community, worried about the risks of destabilization in the Horn of Africa.

With AFP and Reuters

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