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

The TigrayPeople's Liberation Front (TPLF) has now reassumed control of Tigray's regional capital. On Tuesday, the partysaid 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 inTigray.

“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. Bothsent troops into Tigray in support of Prime Minister Abir Ahmed, whose government had accused the TPLF of attacking military bases in early November.