Ethiopian Airlines has announced the decision to resume flights to Mekele, the rebel-held capital of the country's Tigray region. Watch this video to know more.

Ethiopian Airlines resumes commercial flights in rebel-held Tigray capital

Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed vowed to 'honestly' implement a ceasefire agreement between his government and forces in Tigray. He said that the truth agreement was necessary to ensure sustainable peace

Ethiopia's PM vows to ensure peace in Tigray, pledges to 'honestly' implement ceasefire

Warning of human rights abuses and Ethiopia's Tigray. The G7 nations have condemned the killings, sexual violence, and forced displacement of residence. In the joint statement, the group of leading nations has called for a swift withdrawal of Eritrean troops from Ethiopia's conflict-hit northern Tigray region.

G7 nations have has call for a swift withdrawal of Eritrean troops from Tigray region

Doctors without Borders, usually referred to by its French initials MSF, said in a statement that its staff had seen Ethiopian soldiers kill four men in a summary execution.

MSF also said in a statement that three staff members were attacked&nbsp;while travelling in a clearly marked MSF vehicle on Tuesday on the road from regional capital Mekele to Adigrat.

"Along the journey they encountered what appeared to be the aftermath of an ambush of an Ethiopian military convoy by another armed group, in which soldiers were injured and killed. Military vehicles were still on fire," said Karline Kleijer, head of emergency programs for the charity.

The testimony comes as Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed said atrocities have been reported in Tigray province, his first public acknowledgment of possible war crimes there.

"The soldiers then forced the passengers to leave the minibuses. The men were separated from the women, who were allowed to walk away. Shortly afterward, the men were shot."

The MSF team was allowed to leave, but their vehicle was again stopped by soldiers not long after.

"They pulled the MSF driver out of the vehicle, beat him with the back of a gun and threatened to kill him. Eventually the driver was allowed to get back into the vehicle and the team could return to Mekele."

Ethiopia's army could not be immediately contacted for comment on the statement.

Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed launched a military campaign in Tigray last year after blaming the region's ruling party, the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF), for attacks on army camps.

Abiy, winner of the 2019 Nobel Peace Prize, declared victory when federal forces entered the regional capital Mekele in late November however fighting continues.

After weeks of efforts to assert that normalcy is returning to Tigray, Abiy conceded Tuesday that there had been atrocities committed in the semi-autonomous region.

"Battle is destructive, it hurts many, and there is no question about it. There have been damages that happened in Tigray region..." he said.

Residents of Tigray have told human rights groups and journalists of massacres, widespread sexual violence and indiscriminate killings of civilians by security forces.&nbsp;

Abiy also admitted soldiers from neighbouring Eritrea were in the region.

Ethiopia's rights body on Tuesday corroborated studies by international rights groups that a bloody massacre had taken place in the historic town of Axum in November, saying over 100 had been killed by Eritrean soldiers.

(With inputs from agencies)

Doctors without Borders, usually referred to by its French initials MSF, said in a statement that its staff had seen Ethiopian soldiers kill four men in a summary execution.

Doctors without Borders, usually referred to by its French initials MSF, said in a statement that its staff had seen Ethiopian soldiers kill four men in a summary execution. MSF also said in a statement that three staff members were attacked while travelling in a clearly marked MSF vehicle on Tuesday on the road from regional capital Mekele to Adigrat. "Along the journey they encountered what appeared to be the aftermath of an ambush of an Ethiopian military convoy by another armed group, in which soldiers were injured and killed. Military vehicles were still on fire," said Karline Kleijer, head of emergency programs for the charity. The testimony comes as Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed said atrocities have been reported in Tigray province, his first public acknowledgment of possible war crimes there. "The soldiers then forced the passengers to leave the minibuses. The men were separated from the women, who were allowed to walk away. Shortly afterward, the men were shot." The MSF team was allowed to leave, but their vehicle was again stopped by soldiers not long after. "They pulled the MSF driver out of the vehicle, beat him with the back of a gun and threatened to kill him. Eventually the driver was allowed to get back into the vehicle and the team could return to Mekele." Ethiopia's army could not be immediately contacted for comment on the statement. Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed launched a military campaign in Tigray last year after blaming the region's ruling party, the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF), for attacks on army camps. Abiy, winner of the 2019 Nobel Peace Prize, declared victory when federal forces entered the regional capital Mekele in late November however fighting continues. After weeks of efforts to assert that normalcy is returning to Tigray, Abiy conceded Tuesday that there had been atrocities committed in the semi-autonomous region. "Battle is destructive, it hurts many, and there is no question about it. There have been damages that happened in Tigray region..." he said. Residents of Tigray have told human rights groups and journalists of massacres, widespread sexual violence and indiscriminate killings of civilians by security forces. Abiy also admitted soldiers from neighbouring Eritrea were in the region. Ethiopia's rights body on Tuesday corroborated studies by international rights groups that a bloody massacre had taken place in the historic town of Axum in November, saying over 100 had been killed by Eritrean soldiers. (With inputs from agencies)

Ethiopian troops execute civilians in Tigray region: MSF

The Ethiopian government launched a manhunt on Sunday for leaders of a rebellious faction in the northern region of Tigray after announcing federal troops had taken over the regional capital and military operations were complete. 
 
Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed government has been trying to quell a rebellion by the Tigray People`s Liberation Front (TPLF), a powerful ethnically-based party that dominated the central government from 1991 until Abiy came to power in 2018. 
 
He said on Saturday evening federal troops had taken control of the Tigrayan capital Mekelle within hours of launching an offensive there, laying to rest fears of protracted fighting in the city of 500,000 people. 
 
The prime minister, who refers to the three-week-old conflict as an internal law and order matter and has rebuffed international offers of mediation, said federal police will try to arrest TPLF "criminals" and bring them to court. 
 
However, TPLF leader Debretsion Gebremichael told Reuters in a text message on Saturday evening that TPLF forces would fight on, raising the prospect that the conflict could drag on. 
 
Thousands of people are believed to have been killed and nearly 44,000 have fled to Sudan since the fighting began on Nov. 4. The conflict has been another test for Abiy, who took office two years ago and is trying to hold together a patchwork of ethnic groups that make up Ethiopia`s 115 million people. 
 
The flow of refugees and attacks by the TPLF on neighbouring Eritrea have also threatened to destabilize the wider Horn of Africa region. 
 
Claims from all sides are difficult to verify since phone and internet links to Tigray have been down and access tightly controlled since the fighting began. 
 
The police late on Saturday issued arrest warrants for 17 more military officers charged with crimes in connection with the conflict that include treason and embezzlement of public properties, state-affiliated Fana TV reported. They add to the 117 warrants issued for senior military officers it says are connected to TPLF since the conflict broke out. 
 
It was not clear if any TPLF leaders had surrendered, their whereabouts or their next plans. 
 
"Their brutality can only add (to) our resolve to fight these invaders to the last," the TPLF`s Debretsion told Reuters in a text message on Saturday. 
 
Asked by Reuters if that meant his forces would continue fighting, he replied: “Certainly. This is about defending our right to self determination.” 
 
Debretsion said in another text message that Tigrayan forces were withdrawing from around Mekelle. 
 
HISTORY OF RESISTANCE 
 
Regional diplomats and experts have warned that a rapid military victory might not signal the end of the conflict. 
 
The TPLF has a history of guerrilla resistance. Tigray`s mountainous terrain and borders with Sudan and Eritrea helped the TPLF during its long struggle against Marxist dictator Mengistu Haile Mariam, whom it eventually toppled in 1991. 
 
The TPLF and Eritrean forces fought together against Mengistu, but relations later soured after Eritrea became independent in 1993. The two nations fought over a border dispute in 1998-2000 and the TPLF sees Eritrea as a mortal enemy. 
 
Eritrea signed a peace deal with Abiy in 2018, and the prime minister won the Nobel Peace Prize last year. 
 
EXPLOSIONS IN ERITREA`S CAPITAL 
 
Six explosions were reported in the Eritrean capital, Asmara, on Saturday night, the U.S. State Department said, although it was not immediately clear if they were related to the Tigray conflict. The State Department post did not mention the cause or location of the explosions. 
 
Tigrayan forces fired rockets at Eritrea on Nov. 14. 
 
Reuters was unable to reach the Eritrean government or Tigrayan forces for comment. 
 
The TPLF, which denounces Abiy`s warm relations with Eritrea, has accused Eritrea of sending troops to Tigray to join the Ethiopian government`s fight. 
 
It has not been possible to contact the Eritrean government for comment on this. 
 
The TPLF also accuses Abiy of wanting to centralise control at the expense of Ethiopia`s 10 regions. The constitution grants the regions wide-ranging powers over matters like taxation and security. 
 
Abiy has denied he wants to centralise power. 
 
This year, Abiy postponed elections scheduled for August to next year because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Calling this a power grab, the TPLF held its own regional elections in September and announced it no longer recognised federal authority. Abiy`s government declared the Tigray election illegal.

The Ethiopian government launched a manhunt on Sunday for leaders of a rebellious faction in the northern region of Tigray after announcing federal troops had taken over the regional capital and military operations were complete.

The Ethiopian government launched a manhunt on Sunday for leaders of a rebellious faction in the northern region of Tigray after announcing federal troops had taken over the regional capital and military operations were complete. Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed government has been trying to quell a rebellion by the Tigray People`s Liberation Front (TPLF), a powerful ethnically-based party that dominated the central government from 1991 until Abiy came to power in 2018. He said on Saturday evening federal troops had taken control of the Tigrayan capital Mekelle within hours of launching an offensive there, laying to rest fears of protracted fighting in the city of 500,000 people. The prime minister, who refers to the three-week-old conflict as an internal law and order matter and has rebuffed international offers of mediation, said federal police will try to arrest TPLF "criminals" and bring them to court. However, TPLF leader Debretsion Gebremichael told Reuters in a text message on Saturday evening that TPLF forces would fight on, raising the prospect that the conflict could drag on. Thousands of people are believed to have been killed and nearly 44,000 have fled to Sudan since the fighting began on Nov. 4. The conflict has been another test for Abiy, who took office two years ago and is trying to hold together a patchwork of ethnic groups that make up Ethiopia`s 115 million people. The flow of refugees and attacks by the TPLF on neighbouring Eritrea have also threatened to destabilize the wider Horn of Africa region. Claims from all sides are difficult to verify since phone and internet links to Tigray have been down and access tightly controlled since the fighting began. The police late on Saturday issued arrest warrants for 17 more military officers charged with crimes in connection with the conflict that include treason and embezzlement of public properties, state-affiliated Fana TV reported. They add to the 117 warrants issued for senior military officers it says are connected to TPLF since the conflict broke out. It was not clear if any TPLF leaders had surrendered, their whereabouts or their next plans. "Their brutality can only add (to) our resolve to fight these invaders to the last," the TPLF`s Debretsion told Reuters in a text message on Saturday. Asked by Reuters if that meant his forces would continue fighting, he replied: “Certainly. This is about defending our right to self determination.” Debretsion said in another text message that Tigrayan forces were withdrawing from around Mekelle. HISTORY OF RESISTANCE Regional diplomats and experts have warned that a rapid military victory might not signal the end of the conflict. The TPLF has a history of guerrilla resistance. Tigray`s mountainous terrain and borders with Sudan and Eritrea helped the TPLF during its long struggle against Marxist dictator Mengistu Haile Mariam, whom it eventually toppled in 1991. The TPLF and Eritrean forces fought together against Mengistu, but relations later soured after Eritrea became independent in 1993. The two nations fought over a border dispute in 1998-2000 and the TPLF sees Eritrea as a mortal enemy. Eritrea signed a peace deal with Abiy in 2018, and the prime minister won the Nobel Peace Prize last year. EXPLOSIONS IN ERITREA`S CAPITAL Six explosions were reported in the Eritrean capital, Asmara, on Saturday night, the U.S. State Department said, although it was not immediately clear if they were related to the Tigray conflict. The State Department post did not mention the cause or location of the explosions. Tigrayan forces fired rockets at Eritrea on Nov. 14. Reuters was unable to reach the Eritrean government or Tigrayan forces for comment. The TPLF, which denounces Abiy`s warm relations with Eritrea, has accused Eritrea of sending troops to Tigray to join the Ethiopian government`s fight. It has not been possible to contact the Eritrean government for comment on this. The TPLF also accuses Abiy of wanting to centralise control at the expense of Ethiopia`s 10 regions. The constitution grants the regions wide-ranging powers over matters like taxation and security. Abiy has denied he wants to centralise power. This year, Abiy postponed elections scheduled for August to next year because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Calling this a power grab, the TPLF held its own regional elections in September and announced it no longer recognised federal authority. Abiy`s government declared the Tigray election illegal.

Ethiopia says military operation in Tigray region is over, hunt for regional leaders begins

tigray-region

Tigray Region, News on Tigray Region, stories on Tigray Region, articles on Tigray Region, Tigray Region stories at Wion, Tigray Region news, Tigray Region latest news

tigray region

Ethiopian Airlines resumes commercial flights in rebel-held Tigray capital

Ethiopia's PM vows to ensure peace in Tigray, pledges to 'honestly' implement ceasefire

G7 nations have has call for a swift withdrawal of Eritrean troops from Tigray region

Ethiopian troops execute civilians in Tigray region: MSF

Ethiopia says military operation in Tigray region is over, hunt for regional leaders begins