By W. Spencer, The Chicago Times
December 21, 2021
Addis Ababa – There were reports on Monday that Tigrayan forces battling the federal Ethiopian government have withdrawn from regions in Ethiopia’s north after territorial gains by the Ethiopian military.
According to Getachew Reda, a spokesman for the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) “We have just completed the withdrawal of our forces from both Amhara and Afar regions.”
Debretsion Gebremichael, the head of the TPLF, demands a no-fly zone for hostile aircraft over Tigray, arms embargoes on Ethiopia and Eritrea, and a U.N. presence in the region to confirm external armed forces have left Tigray. The Ethiopian government has been on record saying they would never agree to those terms.
U.S. State Department spokesman Ned Price told reporters “If we do see a movement of Tigrayan forces back into Tigray, that is something we would welcome. It’s something we’ve called for and we hope it opens the door to broader diplomacy.”
The 13-month-war has seen the death of thousands of civilians and it is estimated that 400,000 civilians face famine in Tigray and 9.4 million people in northern Ethiopia are also facing starvation.
The Chicago Times 