The Ethiopian government and Tigrayan forces have established a telephone hotline to help a maintain a ceasefire struck last week.

Ethiopian government and Tigrayan forces launch hotline

Ethiopian prime minister Abby Ahmed has said that federal troops will not advance further into the war-torn province of Tigre to avoid an escalation of the conflict.

Govt says, no further advance into Tigray

Amid the ongoing Tigray conflict and 13-month war, the Ethiopian government makes territorial gains as it claims back Tigrayan city from rebels.

The Tigray conflict: Reports claims that Alamata is back in the Ethiopian government's hands

Amid the ongoing Tigray conflict and 13-month war, the Ethiopian government claims it has captured back Tigrayan city from rebels.

The Tigray conflict: Ethiopian government claims capture of Tigrayan city from rebels

The fighting in the Ethiopia Tigray conflict has reached the country's capital Addis-Ababa. The US envoy has said that any progress towards the diplomatic settlement was at risk of being overshadowed by the alarming developments on the ground.

Ethiopia: Ethiopian Prime Minister vows to go to frontline to lead battle

With thousands of Ethiopian Federal Government prisoners of war were paraded by their captors. Other prisoners who are closely guarded by the Tigrayan forces can be heard chanting slogans such as we are Abi soldiers and stop ethnic abuse.

Ethiopian government encourages woman to help in war effort

Ethiopia: Tigray rebels capture town just 200km from capital

The civil war in Ethiopia has turned into a battle of ethnicities. On target are ethnic Tigrayans and some of them have declared war on the govt. They are marching towards the capital to seize control.

Ethiopia: Ethiopian police detains ethnic Tigrayans on suspicion

The UN&nbsp;Security Council on Friday called for an end to the fighting in Ethiopia and for talks on a lasting ceasefire as the 15-member body expressed deep concern in a rare statement about the expansion and intensification of military clashes.

The council also "called for refraining from inflammatory hate speech and incitement to violence and divisiveness."

Also Read&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/ethiopia-declares-nationwide-emergency-as-insurgents-threaten-the-capital-426337">Ethiopia declares nationwide emergency as insurgents threaten the capital</a>

It had been negotiating a statement for several days and eventually reached a compromise with Russia on the text, diplomats said. Such statements have to be agreed by consensus.

Russia and China have long made clear they believe the year-long conflict, which started in the northern region of Tigray, is an internal affair for Ethiopia. Both countries are council veto-powers - along with the United States, Britain and France - so any strong council action, like sanctions, is unlikely.

The war, which has killed thousands of people and forced more than two million from their homes, has intensified in recent weeks. With rebels threatening to move on the capital Addis Ababa, the Ethiopian army on Friday called on former troops to rejoin to fight them, state media said.

A planned Security Council meeting on Ethiopia on Friday was postponed until Monday, said Mexico's UN&nbsp;Ambassador Juan Ramón de la Fuente Ramírez, council president for November.

The statement on Ethiopia - drafted by Ireland, Kenya, Niger, Tunisia and St Vincent and the Grenadines - was only the second by the Security Council in the past year.

Also Read |<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/joint-un-ethiopia-rights-team-all-sides-committed-abuses-in-tigray-426477">&nbsp;Joint UN, Ethiopia rights team: all sides committed abuses in Tigray</a>

"Today the Security Council breaks six months of silence and speaks again with one united voice on the deeply concerning situation in Ethiopia," Ireland's UN&nbsp;Ambassador Geraldine Byrne Nason said in a statement.

"For the first time, the council clearly calls for a cessation of hostilities. We believe this should happen immediately, and that all civilians must be protected," she said.

The United Nations has said that up to 7 million people in the Ethiopian regions of Tigray, Amhara and Afar need help, including 5 million in Tigray where some 400,000 people are estimated to be living in famine-like conditions.

The Security Council "called for the respect of international humanitarian law, for safe and unhindered humanitarian access, the re-establishment of public services, and further urged the scaling up of humanitarian assistance."

The UN Security Council on Friday called for an end to the fighting in Ethiopia and for talks on a lasting ceasefire as the 15-member body expressed deep concern in a rare statement about the expansion and intensification of military clashes.

The UN Security Council on Friday called for an end to the fighting in Ethiopia and for talks on a lasting ceasefire as the 15-member body expressed deep concern in a rare statement about the expansion and intensification of military clashes. The council also "called for refraining from inflammatory hate speech and incitement to violence and divisiveness." Also Read Ethiopia declares nationwide emergency as insurgents threaten the capital It had been negotiating a statement for several days and eventually reached a compromise with Russia on the text, diplomats said. Such statements have to be agreed by consensus. Russia and China have long made clear they believe the year-long conflict, which started in the northern region of Tigray, is an internal affair for Ethiopia. Both countries are council veto-powers - along with the United States, Britain and France - so any strong council action, like sanctions, is unlikely. The war, which has killed thousands of people and forced more than two million from their homes, has intensified in recent weeks. With rebels threatening to move on the capital Addis Ababa, the Ethiopian army on Friday called on former troops to rejoin to fight them, state media said. A planned Security Council meeting on Ethiopia on Friday was postponed until Monday, said Mexico's UN Ambassador Juan Ramón de la Fuente Ramírez, council president for November. The statement on Ethiopia - drafted by Ireland, Kenya, Niger, Tunisia and St Vincent and the Grenadines - was only the second by the Security Council in the past year. Also Read | Joint UN, Ethiopia rights team: all sides committed abuses in Tigray "Today the Security Council breaks six months of silence and speaks again with one united voice on the deeply concerning situation in Ethiopia," Ireland's UN Ambassador Geraldine Byrne Nason said in a statement. "For the first time, the council clearly calls for a cessation of hostilities. We believe this should happen immediately, and that all civilians must be protected," she said. The United Nations has said that up to 7 million people in the Ethiopian regions of Tigray, Amhara and Afar need help, including 5 million in Tigray where some 400,000 people are estimated to be living in famine-like conditions. The Security Council "called for the respect of international humanitarian law, for safe and unhindered humanitarian access, the re-establishment of public services, and further urged the scaling up of humanitarian assistance."

UN Security Council calls for end to Ethiopia conflict

The Tigray&nbsp;People's Liberation Front (TPLF) has now reassumed control of Tigray's regional capital. On Tuesday, the party&nbsp;said that they are in the process of conducting “mop-up” operations after the retreat of Ethiopian government’s forces.

They added that the Ethiopian forces have retreated from the regional capital of Mekelle and that the city was “100%” back in their grip.

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/ethiopias-government-declares-unilateral-ceasefire-in-tigray-394623/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

“Twenty-five minutes ago the active engagement in Mekelle was over,” Getachew Reda, spokesman for the Tigray People's Liberation Front, told Reuters on Tuesday.

"Our forces are still in hot pursuit to the south, east”, Reda added.

After eight months of fighting in the Tigray region, the government which ousted its former rulers declared a unilateral ceasefire. Reuters reported that Mekelle residents witnessed the return of rebel troops in the city for the first since they were driven out in November by the government forces.

The conflict so far has killed thousands of people, displaced over 2 million and has pushed thousands into poverty.

Over the last two days, reports came in of intense fighting between the forces of Ethiopian government and the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF). Ethiopia's government on Monday said it was declaring a ceasefire after a request from the interim regional administration in&nbsp;Tigray.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/world/rebels-enter-tigray-capital-ethiopia-declares-unilateral-ceasefire-394561" hreflang="en">Rebels enter Tigray capital, Ethiopia declares 'unilateral ceasefire'</a>

“This unilateral ceasefire declaration starts from today June 28, 2021 and will stay until the farming season ends," the Ethiopian government said in a statement late on Monday.&nbsp;The planting farming season in Ethiopia lasts from May to September.

Ethiopia received support from Eritrea in the north and from Amhara in south. Both&nbsp;sent troops into Tigray in support of Prime Minister Abir Ahmed, whose government had accused the TPLF of attacking military bases in early November.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/world/three-msf-employees-killed-in-ethiopias-tigray-aid-agency-says-394101" hreflang="en">Three MSF employees killed in Ethiopia's Tigray, aid agency says</a>

The Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF) has now reassumed control of Tigray's regional capital. On Tuesday, the party said that they are in the process of conducting “mop-up” operations after the retreat of Ethiopian government’s forces.

The Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF) has now reassumed control of Tigray's regional capital. On Tuesday, the party said that they are in the process of conducting “mop-up” operations after the retreat of Ethiopian government’s forces. They added that the Ethiopian forces have retreated from the regional capital of Mekelle and that the city was “100%” back in their grip. “Twenty-five minutes ago the active engagement in Mekelle was over,” Getachew Reda, spokesman for the Tigray People's Liberation Front, told Reuters on Tuesday. "Our forces are still in hot pursuit to the south, east”, Reda added. After eight months of fighting in the Tigray region, the government which ousted its former rulers declared a unilateral ceasefire. Reuters reported that Mekelle residents witnessed the return of rebel troops in the city for the first since they were driven out in November by the government forces. The conflict so far has killed thousands of people, displaced over 2 million and has pushed thousands into poverty. Over the last two days, reports came in of intense fighting between the forces of Ethiopian government and the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF). Ethiopia's government on Monday said it was declaring a ceasefire after a request from the interim regional administration in Tigray. Also read: Rebels enter Tigray capital, Ethiopia declares 'unilateral ceasefire' “This unilateral ceasefire declaration starts from today June 28, 2021 and will stay until the farming season ends," the Ethiopian government said in a statement late on Monday. The planting farming season in Ethiopia lasts from May to September. Ethiopia received support from Eritrea in the north and from Amhara in south. Both sent troops into Tigray in support of Prime Minister Abir Ahmed, whose government had accused the TPLF of attacking military bases in early November. Also read: Three MSF employees killed in Ethiopia's Tigray, aid agency says

Tigray's regional capital Mekelle now '100%' under control of rebel fighters: Report

The young coffee seller said she was split from family and friends by an Ethiopian soldier at the Tekeze river, taken down a path, and given a harrowing choice.

"He said: `Choose, either I kill you or rape you`," the 25-year-old told Reuters at the Hamdayet refugee camp in Sudan where she had fled from conflict in Ethiopia`s Tigray region.

The doctor who treated her when she arrived at the camp in December, Tewadrous Tefera Limeuh, confirmed to Reuters that he provided pills to stop pregnancy and sexually-transmitted diseases, and guided her to a psychotherapist.

"The soldier ... forced a gun on her and raped her," Limeuh, who was volunteering with the Sudanese Red Crescent, said the woman told him. "She asked him if he had a condom and he said `why would I need a condom?`"

Five aid workers for international and Ethiopian aid groups said they had received multiple similar reports of abuse in Tigray. The United Nations appealed this week for an end to sexual assaults in the region.

Among a "high number" of allegations, particularly disturbing reports have emerged of people being forced to rape relatives or have sex in exchange for basic supplies, the U.N. Office of the Special Representative on Sexual Violence in Conflict said in a statement on Thursday.

Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed`s government and the military did not immediately respond to questions from Reuters about the reports of rape. Ethiopian authorities have previously denied rights abuses, pointing the finger instead at the Tigray People`s Liberation Front (TPLF), the region`s former ruling party whose forces they accuse of insurrection.

"I call on all parties involved in the hostilities in the Tigray region to commit to a zero-tolerance policy for crimes of sexual violence," U.N. special representative Pramila Patten said in the statement.

Women and girls in refugee camps within Ethiopia appear to have been particularly targeted, and medical centres are under pressure for emergency contraception and tests for sexually-transmitted infections, the statement said.

Reuters could not independently verify the accounts of rape. Media have been largely banned from Tigray, aid agencies have struggled for access, and communications were down for weeks.

ABUSERS IN UNIFORM

The 25-year-old woman who spoke with Reuters said her abuser wore an Ethiopian federal army uniform.

The five aid workers said other women described their alleged assailants as being militia fighters from Ethiopia`s Amhara region or Eritrean soldiers, both allied with Abiy`s troops. Reuters was unable to determine the identity of the woman`s assailant.

Abiy`s spokeswoman, Tigray`s interim governor, the mayor of the regional capital Mekelle, Eritrea`s foreign minister and Ethiopia`s army spokesman did not immediately reply to requests for comment on rape allegations. Reuters could not reach TPLF representatives.

"I don`t have any information about that," Amhara regional spokesman Gizachew Muluneh told Reuters by phone.

Ethiopia and Eritrea have both denied that Eritrean troops are in Ethiopia, contradicting dozens of eyewitness interviews, diplomats and an Ethiopian general.

`WHY IS A WOMAN RAPED?`

At a meeting of security officials in Mekelle broadcast on Ethiopian state TV earlier this month, one soldier spoke of abuses even after the city had been captured by federal forces.

"I was angry yesterday. Why does a woman get raped in Mekelle city? It wouldn`t be shocking if it happened during the war ... But women were raped yesterday and today when the local police and federal police are around," said the soldier, who was not identified.

Local authorities did not immediately respond to efforts to seek comment on whether any soldiers might be investigated or brought to justice.

Tewadrous, the refugee camp doctor, described two other rape cases he had handled. One woman, who said she had escaped from Rawyan town in Tigray, told of three soldiers she identified as Amhara special forces knocking at her door, the doctor said. When she refused them entry, they broke in and assaulted her.

An aid worker in the town of Wukro told Reuters victims had recounted how a husband was forced to kneel and watch while his wife was raped by soldiers they identified as Eritrean.

A medical worker in Adigrat said he treated six women who had been raped by a group of soldiers and told not to seek help afterwards. They found courage to come forward days later, but there were no medicines to treat them, the medic said.

In Mekelle, one man was beaten up after begging soldiers to stop raping a 19-year-old, according to a medical worker who treated both victims. Mekelle charity Elshadai said it has prepared 50 beds for rape victims.

The young coffee seller said she was split from family and friends by an Ethiopian soldier at the Tekeze river, taken down a path, and given a harrowing choice. "He said: `Choose, either I kill you or rape you`," the 25-year-old told Reuters at the Hamdayet refugee camp in Sudan where she had fled from conflict in Ethiopia`s Tigray region.

The young coffee seller said she was split from family and friends by an Ethiopian soldier at the Tekeze river, taken down a path, and given a harrowing choice. "He said: `Choose, either I kill you or rape you`," the 25-year-old told Reuters at the Hamdayet refugee camp in Sudan where she had fled from conflict in Ethiopia`s Tigray region. The doctor who treated her when she arrived at the camp in December, Tewadrous Tefera Limeuh, confirmed to Reuters that he provided pills to stop pregnancy and sexually-transmitted diseases, and guided her to a psychotherapist. "The soldier ... forced a gun on her and raped her," Limeuh, who was volunteering with the Sudanese Red Crescent, said the woman told him. "She asked him if he had a condom and he said `why would I need a condom?`" Five aid workers for international and Ethiopian aid groups said they had received multiple similar reports of abuse in Tigray. The United Nations appealed this week for an end to sexual assaults in the region. Among a "high number" of allegations, particularly disturbing reports have emerged of people being forced to rape relatives or have sex in exchange for basic supplies, the U.N. Office of the Special Representative on Sexual Violence in Conflict said in a statement on Thursday. Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed`s government and the military did not immediately respond to questions from Reuters about the reports of rape. Ethiopian authorities have previously denied rights abuses, pointing the finger instead at the Tigray People`s Liberation Front (TPLF), the region`s former ruling party whose forces they accuse of insurrection. "I call on all parties involved in the hostilities in the Tigray region to commit to a zero-tolerance policy for crimes of sexual violence," U.N. special representative Pramila Patten said in the statement. Women and girls in refugee camps within Ethiopia appear to have been particularly targeted, and medical centres are under pressure for emergency contraception and tests for sexually-transmitted infections, the statement said. Reuters could not independently verify the accounts of rape. Media have been largely banned from Tigray, aid agencies have struggled for access, and communications were down for weeks. ABUSERS IN UNIFORM The 25-year-old woman who spoke with Reuters said her abuser wore an Ethiopian federal army uniform. The five aid workers said other women described their alleged assailants as being militia fighters from Ethiopia`s Amhara region or Eritrean soldiers, both allied with Abiy`s troops. Reuters was unable to determine the identity of the woman`s assailant. Abiy`s spokeswoman, Tigray`s interim governor, the mayor of the regional capital Mekelle, Eritrea`s foreign minister and Ethiopia`s army spokesman did not immediately reply to requests for comment on rape allegations. Reuters could not reach TPLF representatives. "I don`t have any information about that," Amhara regional spokesman Gizachew Muluneh told Reuters by phone. Ethiopia and Eritrea have both denied that Eritrean troops are in Ethiopia, contradicting dozens of eyewitness interviews, diplomats and an Ethiopian general. `WHY IS A WOMAN RAPED?` At a meeting of security officials in Mekelle broadcast on Ethiopian state TV earlier this month, one soldier spoke of abuses even after the city had been captured by federal forces. "I was angry yesterday. Why does a woman get raped in Mekelle city? It wouldn`t be shocking if it happened during the war ... But women were raped yesterday and today when the local police and federal police are around," said the soldier, who was not identified. Local authorities did not immediately respond to efforts to seek comment on whether any soldiers might be investigated or brought to justice. Tewadrous, the refugee camp doctor, described two other rape cases he had handled. One woman, who said she had escaped from Rawyan town in Tigray, told of three soldiers she identified as Amhara special forces knocking at her door, the doctor said. When she refused them entry, they broke in and assaulted her. An aid worker in the town of Wukro told Reuters victims had recounted how a husband was forced to kneel and watch while his wife was raped by soldiers they identified as Eritrean. A medical worker in Adigrat said he treated six women who had been raped by a group of soldiers and told not to seek help afterwards. They found courage to come forward days later, but there were no medicines to treat them, the medic said. In Mekelle, one man was beaten up after begging soldiers to stop raping a 19-year-old, according to a medical worker who treated both victims. Mekelle charity Elshadai said it has prepared 50 beds for rape victims.

'Choose - I kill you or rape you': Abuse accusations surge in Ethiopia's war

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/ethiopian-pm-tells-african-envoys-he-will-protect-civilians-in-tigray-345885">Ethiopian</a> government forces on Saturday began heavy shelling in Tigray in a bid to capture regional capital Mekelle as rebel Tigray People's Liberation Front(TLF)forces dug in for a fight.

Watch:

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/ethiopian-pm-abiy-ahmed-rejects-dialogue-with-tigray-leaders-346065/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

Reports said large explosions were heard in the north of the city in the Hamidai area. The Ethiopian PM's office has asserted that its forces will not "bombard" civilian areas.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/rockets-target-eritrea-as-ethiopia-leader-resists-calls-for-dialogue-345982">Also Read:&nbsp;Rockets target Eritrea as Ethiopia leader resists calls for dialogue</a>

"The safety of Ethiopians in Mekelle and <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/eu-says-ethiopia-fighting-destabilising-region-urges-ceasefire-345230">Tigray</a> region continues as a priority for the federal government," the government spokesman said. The Abiy government had given the TPLF forces an ultimatum until last Sunday to lay down arms or face an assault on Mekelle.

The Ethiopian army has been fighting the TLP in Tigray which borders Eritrea and Sudan since November 4.

PM Abiy has accused the rebel forces of attacking troops at a base in <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/ethiopias-21st-mechanised-division-completely-destroyed-claim-tigray-forces-345067">Tigray</a> even as the TLP said it was a pre-emptive strike by the federal troops.

The conflict has led to a humanitarian crisis with at least 43,000 refugees fleeing to Sudan. The International Crisis Group has said the conflict has left thousands dead "including many civilians as well as security forces".

Abiy who won Nobel Peace Prize last year had said earlier in the week that a "third and final phase" in his campaign against leaders of TPLF had begun even as leaders worldwide including the Pope expressed concern over the intensifying fighting in in the region.

However, PM Abiy Ahmed has refused to negotiate with the TPLF and dismissed calls for dialogue as "interference" in Ethiopia's internal affairs.

Ethiopian government forces on Saturday began heavy shelling in Tigray in a bid to capture regional capital Mekelle as rebel Tigray People's Liberation Front(TLF)forces dug in for a fight.

Ethiopian government forces on Saturday began heavy shelling in Tigray in a bid to capture regional capital Mekelle as rebel Tigray People's Liberation Front(TLF)forces dug in for a fight. Watch: Reports said large explosions were heard in the north of the city in the Hamidai area. The Ethiopian PM's office has asserted that its forces will not "bombard" civilian areas. Also Read: Rockets target Eritrea as Ethiopia leader resists calls for dialogue "The safety of Ethiopians in Mekelle and Tigray region continues as a priority for the federal government," the government spokesman said. The Abiy government had given the TPLF forces an ultimatum until last Sunday to lay down arms or face an assault on Mekelle. The Ethiopian army has been fighting the TLP in Tigray which borders Eritrea and Sudan since November 4. PM Abiy has accused the rebel forces of attacking troops at a base in Tigray even as the TLP said it was a pre-emptive strike by the federal troops. The conflict has led to a humanitarian crisis with at least 43,000 refugees fleeing to Sudan. The International Crisis Group has said the conflict has left thousands dead "including many civilians as well as security forces". Abiy who won Nobel Peace Prize last year had said earlier in the week that a "third and final phase" in his campaign against leaders of TPLF had begun even as leaders worldwide including the Pope expressed concern over the intensifying fighting in in the region. However, PM Abiy Ahmed has refused to negotiate with the TPLF and dismissed calls for dialogue as "interference" in Ethiopia's internal affairs.

Ethiopian forces begin offensive on Tigray with heavy shelling

Around this time last year, Ethiopia's Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed won the Nobel Peace Prize. Today, Ethiopia is standing on the brink of civil war on his watch. WION's Palki Sharma tells you more.

Gravitas: Ethiopia on the brink of a civil war