Ethiopian Forces Approaches Capital of Tigray

A spokesman for the Ethiopian government said that federal forces have cordoned off the capital of Tigray region as part of a military operation to topple the rebels of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Tigray., which rules there.

Radwan Hussein, a spokesman for the government task force on the region, said in a text message that Tigray forces launched missiles today at Bahr Dar, capital of the neighboring Amhara region, whose authorities support the federal forces' attack.

But there has not yet been a response from the Tigray People's Liberation Front,

On the other hand, a spokesman for the Ethiopian government announced that all options are on the table.

Last Tuesday, Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Ali announced a three-day deadline for the the rebel forces and militias of the northern Tigray region to surrender after the two-week armed conflict.

"After this deadline ends, the last decisive measure to enforce the law will be implemented in the coming days," Abiy Ahmed said on Facebook.

In a related context, the government emergency committee said a few days ago that the Ethiopian National Defense Forces had carried out "very accurate air operations" outside Mekele, the capital of the Tigray region, which is rebelling against the federal government of Ethiopia.

Ethiopia has previously announced that peace talks are possible with the Tigrayan government, only if it disarms, releases its arrested federal officials, and surrenders the leaders of the region themselves.

"The federal forces were forced to withdraw across the border into Eritrea before regrouping and returning to fight local forces," said Radwan Hussein.

Tensions have escalated since last September after the Tigray region held elections in defiance of the federal government, which described the vote as "illegal", and in the past few days, the two sides exchanged accusations of planning to ignite a military conflict.

Tigrayans make up only 5% of Ethiopia's 109 million people, but the region is richer and more influential than many other, larger regions in the country.