Kathmandu: (AFP) – Tigrayan rebels have begun handing in their heavy weapons, a key part of an agreement signed more than two months ago to end a deadly conflict in northern Ethiopia, a spokesman for the rebel authorities said.
“Tigray has handed over its heavy weapons as part of its commitment to implementing the #Pretoria agreement” that was signed on November 2 by Ethiopia’s government and Tigrayan rebels, Getachew Reda tweeted Wednesday.
“We hope & expect this will go a long way in expediting the full implementation of the agreement. We hope & expect!”
The terms of the peace agreement include disarming rebel forces, restoring federal authority in Tigray and reopening access and communications to the region, which has been cut off since mid-2021.
Fighting broke out in November 2020 when Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed deployed the army to arrest Tigrayan leaders who had been challenging his authority for months and whom he accused of attacking federal military bases.
The precise toll of the conflict, which was largely fought amid media restrictions, is unknown.
The International Crisis Group think tank and the NGO Amnesty International have described it as “one of the deadliest in the world.