UNSC Holds 1st Meeting on Tigray Conflict

The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) will hold its first meeting on the Ethiopian Tigray region conflict, upon a request from Tunisia, South Africa, and "Saint Vincent and the Grenadines", according to Sky news agency.

The UNSC will hold a closed meeting via video conference, yet it is not yet clear if a statement would be issued afterward, according to diplomatic sources.

The meeting comes after the leader of Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) Debarsion Gebremikail, said on Tuesday that his people are “ready to die” defending their homeland, rejecting Ethiopian Prime Minister (PM) Abiy Ahmed’s surrender ultimatum period, according to Sputnik news agency.

“He does not understand who we are. We are people of principle and ready to die in defense of our right to rule our region,” Gebremikail told AFP via WhatsApp, in response to Abiy.

It is worth mentioning that, on Sunday, Abiy gave Tigrayan regional forces 72 hours to surrender before the military begins an offensive on Mekelle.

In a press statement, TPLF leader Debretsion Gebremichael said that the ultimatum is a cover for the government forces to regroup after what he described as defeats on three fronts.

Gebremichael is now leading the fight against Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s government for control of the northern Tigray region, described as the “womb” of the nation.