Ethiopia: federal troops and rebels urged to restore truce

The UN and the US have urged Ethiopian troops and regional Tigrayan forces to restore a humanitarian truce after fresh fighting broke out for the first time in several months.

The chair of the African Union Commission, Moussa Faki Mahamat, has also called for “immediate cessation of hostilities” and urged the warring sides to resume talks.

There are fears that renewed clashes could hinder efforts to reach millions of people in the region of Tigray who are in desperate need of help.

Meanwhile, the World Food Program said Tigrayan forces have looted a million litres of fuel from its warehouses in the region’s capital, Mekelle, that was meant to be used to deliver aid.

Tigrayan forces have not responded to the accusations.

The UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres said he was shocked by the resurgence in fighting, while the US expressed concern that renewed clashes could jeopardize progress made over the past five months.

For a country that has paid heavy prices due to the brutal civil war, another round of bloodshed could only be a bad news.

With BBC