Ethiopian National Defence Forces will take control of the rebel-held Mekelle, capital of the Tigray region as of next Thursday, said a senior Ethiopian official as the implementation of a peace deal signed between Addis Ababa and the Tigray rebels appears to be holding.
Security advisor to Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, Redwan Hussien has confirmed that the national army will take control of the city as a political dialogue between the government of Ethiopia and the TPLF to end the two-year bloody conflict begins.
Redwan said the TPLF force will disarm heavy weapons and hand over to the national army as per the agreement reached between the two sides in Kenyan capital, Nairobi.
As per the Pretoria agreement, the federal government has restored electricity, telecom and other services in almost all parts of Tigray.
Ethiopian Airlines is set to resume its regular flights to Alula Aba Nega International Airport of Mekelle city as of Wednesday, December 28, 2022.
The CEO of the Ethiopian Mesfin Tasew said “the resumption of these flights will enable families to reunite, facilitate the restoration of commercial activities, stimulate tourist flow, and bring many more opportunities which will serve the society.
Deberetsion Geberemichael told the Ethiopian delegation in Mekelle that the Eritrean and Amhra forces have to withdraw from Tigray to ensure full implementation of the Pretoria agreement.
It is not clear if the Eritrean government has begun withdrawing its troops from border areas of northern Tigray but the Amhara militia are heavily deployed in Wolkait and Humera areas which the TPLF has annexed from the Amhara region and incorporated in Tigray back since 1991.
