Panafrican News Agency

Ethiopian crisis: US reiterates calls for 'immediate' ceasefire in fighting

Washington, DC, US (PANA) - The US on Friday reiterated calls for a ceasefire in northern Ethiopia where government forces have been engaged in renewed fighting with the rebel Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF) since last August.

The US Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, said in a statement in Washington, DC, that his country is "deeply concerned" over reports of increasing violence, loss of life, indiscriminate targeting of civilians, and destruction in the conflict, particularly around Shire in the Tigray region. 

"We call on the Ethiopian National Defence Forces and Eritrean Defence Forces to immediately halt their joint military offensive and for Eritrea to withdraw its forces from northern Ethiopia. We further call on the Tigrayan Defence Forces to cease provocative actions," Mr Blinken said. 

The US Secretary of State said the fighting, since the 24 August operation by the Tigrayan Defence Forces near Kobo in the Amhara Region, "has contributed to the return to hostilities", which greatly increases the risk of atrocities and further human rights abuses.

"It is incumbent on all armed actors to respect and protect civilians, and we call on them to allow unhindered humanitarian access to all Ethiopians in need," the US said.

It reiterated that the government of Ethiopia and Tigray regional authorities should "immediately cease all hostilities and participate seriously" in the forthcoming African Union-led peace talks. 

"The United States is fully engaged with the African Union (AU), the governments of Kenya and South Africa, and other international and regional partners to organise and mediate peace talks as soon as possible," Mr Blinken said.

Last Wednesday, six Western countries called on the government of Ethiopia and the TPLF to immediately halt their renewed military offensives and agree to a cessation of hostilities.

The warring parties should also allow for unhindered and sustained humanitarian access, and pursue a negotiated settlement through peace talks under an AU-led process.

In a joint statement, Australia, Denmark, Germany, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, and the United States said they were profoundly concerned by the escalation of the ongoing conflict and humanitarian crisis in northern Ethiopia. 

They also condemned the escalating involvement of Eritrean military forces in the conflict and called on Eritrean forces to cease their military operations and withdraw from northern Ethiopia.  All foreign actors should cease actions that fuel this conflict, they added.

They stressed that any "durable solution" must include accountability for human rights abuses and violations and also called on all parties to allow unhindered humanitarian access, ensure the safety and security of humanitarian workers, and cooperate with, and facilitate access for, international human rights monitors.

The conflict between the Addis Ababa government and TPLF started on 4 November 2020 when Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed ordered a military offensive after TPLF forces attacked a federal army base in Tigray. 

The fighting sparked massive displacement, widespread destruction of livelihoods and infrastructure, loss of employment and a huge humanitarian crisis.

Ethiopia declared a unilateral ceasefire in June 2021 but tension remained high between the two sides. 

The fighting resumed last August when the TPLF began another operation against the Ethiopian government.

AU-led peace talks between the Ethiopian government and the TPLF scheduled for last weekend in South Africa have been postponed for logistics reasons.

The peace talks would be conducted through a high level panel of eminent Africans, established purposefully for the Ethiopian peace process.

The panel is led by Olusegun Obasanjo, AU High Representative for the Horn of Africa and former President of Nigeria, along with Uhuru Kenyatta, former President of Kenya, and Dr Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, former Deputy President of South Africa and Member of the AU Panel of the Wise.

-0- PANA MA 15Oct2022