The Ethiopian government declared, on Thursday March 24, an "unlimited humanitarian truce" in its conflict with the rebels of Tigray in order to allow "the free movement of humanitarian aid, towards those in need of assistance" in this northern region. of the country, according to a press release.

The Ethiopian Parliament had lifted on February 15, in advance, the state of emergency imposed in November, when the Tigrayan rebels threatened to march on Addis Ababa.

The truce is "effective immediately", the government said in a statement, explaining its decision by "the need to take extraordinary measures to save lives and reduce human suffering".

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However, "the commitment made by the government of Ethiopia can only have the desired effect of improving the humanitarian situation on the ground if the other party does the same", continues the government, calling on the Tigrayan rebels to " to refrain from any further acts of aggression and to withdraw from the areas they occupy in the neighboring regions of Tigray".

Tigray pro-government and rebel forces have been clashing in northern Ethiopia since in November 2020 Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed sent the federal army to dislodge authorities from the region, then ruled by the People's Liberation Front of Tigray (TPLF), which had been challenging his authority for months.

Over 400,000 displaced in Tigray

Quickly defeated, the rebel troops of the TPLF then, during 2021, militarily recaptured Tigray and the conflict has since spread to the neighboring regions of Amhara and Afar.

The nearly 17 months of conflict have caused a serious humanitarian crisis in northern Ethiopia, where more than nine million people need food assistance, according to the WFP.

"The intensification of the conflict and the presence of Tigray forces in Afar", the region through which road convoys pass to Tigray, "have prevented the influx of food and fuel into Tigray since mid-December", the WFP recently explained. .

More than 400,000 people have been displaced in Tigray, according to the UN.

"The government of Ethiopia hopes that this truce will significantly improve the humanitarian situation on the ground and pave the way for the resolution of the conflict in northern Ethiopia, without further bloodshed," the statement said.

With AFP

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