The Ethiopian government said its army was clearing rebellious Tigrayan forces from the northern Amhara and Afar regions, dismissing Tigrayan statements that forces were retreating voluntarily to create an "opening for peace". Thousands of civilians have been killed as a result of the13-month-old conflict while about 400,000 are facing famine conditions in Tigray and 9.4 million people need food aid across northern Ethiopia. The TPLF, the party that controls the Tigray region in the far north of Ethiopia and is at war with the government, had announced its withdrawal from neighbouring Amhara and Afar yesterday. She said the national armed forces were still in the process of clearing TPLF forces from pockets within the two regions. The TPLF accuses Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed of wanting to centralise power at the expense of the regions, which he denies.

Source: Ethiopian News December 22, 2021 07:55 UTC