Two months after the ceasefire agreement, crowds of Ethiopian Orthodox flocked to the town of Lalibela to celebrate Christmas in the hope of a long-awaited reconciliation. Taken by the Tigrayan rebels during an offensive in mid-2021, it was recaptured by pro-government forces on 1 December 2021 before falling back into the hands of the Tigrayan fighters ten days later. Estimates of casualties vary widely, with the United States saying that as many as half a million people have died. The African Union said it was also starting a mission to monitor the implementation of the peace deal. A federal delegation made their first visit to Mekele since the peace deal was signed, bringing along the CEOs of major corporations.

Source: Ethiopian News January 07, 2023 20:20 UTC