NAIROBI (Reuters) – The Ethiopian military will begin the “final phase” of an offensive in the rebellious northern Tigray region, Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed said in a statement on Thursday, hours after an ultimatum for Tigray forces to surrender expired.
“The 72-hour period granted to the criminal TPLF clique to surrender peacefully is now over and our law enforcement campaign has reached its final stage,” he tweeted, adding that civilians would be spared and that thousands of fighters had already surrendered.
Reuters was not immediately able to reach the Tigrayan forces for comment. Claims by all sides have been impossible to verify because phone and internet connections to the region are down and access to the area is tightly controlled.
(Reporting by Omar Mohammed; Writing by Katharine Houreld; Editing by Tom Hogue)
