TPLF establishes conditions for peaceful dialogue with Ethiopian government | Ethiopian Stories

The Tigray People’s Liberation Front has ordered the complete removal of Eritrea’s military and the Amhara army from Ethiopia.

Rebel leaders in Ethiopia’s Tigray region have demanded the release of Eritrea’s military and freedom fighters in neighboring Amhara before holding talks with the federal government.

The increase came in a statement released on Sunday by the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF), regional authorities who were expelled last year by Ethiopian troops and troops from neighboring Eritrea.

TPLF returned to the provincial capital, Mekelle, on Monday to enjoy the crowds. Their return was followed by an unconventional announcement to end the war with the federal government, an idea rejected by TPLF spokesman Getachew Reda as a “joke”.

According to a statement issued on Sunday, the TPLF has agreed to suspend the firearms in the event of a ceasefire, but a number of issues must be met before any agreement can be reached.

“Troops from Amhara and Eritrea have to leave Tigray and return to their areas before the war,” he said.

The rebel leaders are also seeking “ways” for Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed and Eritrean President Isaias Afwerki to be held accountable for “damage to property”, and to be set up by a United Nations independent inquiry into “horrific crimes” that took place during the war.

Other activities are helpful, including the distribution of aid and the successful return to Tigray for refugees.

Nothing was said by the spokesman for the Prime Minister and the chairman of the civil service to establish security operations in Tigray.

Establish TPLF

Catherine Soi of Al Jazeera, a spokesman for the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa, said one of the biggest challenges was restoring what Addis Ababa sees as a rebel government in Tigray.

“We have never heard from the Ethiopian government … it would be difficult to accept this. For example, in accepting the TPLF as the Tigray government, the [central] the government will accept defeat, ”he said.

“But some of the experts we spoke to say it’s probably a little too early to start a political debate.”

The TPLF ruled the central government for many years before Abiy came to power in 2018.

His government has been battling the TPLF since late last year after it was accused of attacking a security checkpoint in Tigray. Thousands of people have been killed.

More than 400,000 people in the region are now facing starvation and there are fears of further fighting in the region despite the two countries ending the war, the UN warned on Friday.