USA, UK, Ireland Call UN Security Council for Emergency Meeting over Tigray

The United States of America (USA) the United Kingdom (UK) and Ireland have called the United Nations (UN) Security Council to convene on an emergency meeting to discuss the deteriorating situation in Tigray as clashes renewed there between the Ethiopian forces and the local rebels.

Diplomats familiar with the conflict told the Associated Press (AP) news agency the council may convene next Friday.

Since war broke in Tigray last November, the UN Security Council hasn't succeeded in convening a meeting over the war in the dissent province.

A number of African countries, China, Russia, and others considered the crisis between the Ethiopian government and the leadership of the rebels, as an internal affair.

Yesterday, the Ethiopian government declared a unilateral ceasefire in Tigray at the request of the interim administration in the region.

However, media reports indicated that the Tigray Liberation Front (TLF) announced taking over Mekkelle, the regional capital of the province.

Addis Standard" an Ethiopian news website, said that the federal government in Addis Ababa has approved the request of the interim government in Tigray to cease the fire in the province torn by civil war during the seven months.

"CNN" a US news network, has quoted local sources as saying that forces loyal to the Tigray Liberation Front recaptured Mekkelle, meanwhile the Ethiopian forces withdrew from the city.

The network added the Ethiopian units left the city completely.

Fighting broke out in the province converging border lines with Ethiopia, Eretria, and Sudan on November 4 after long-timed tensions over the local elections.

The Ethiopian government accused fighters of the Tigray Liberation Front of attacking federal government military bases there.

The conflict in Tigray resulted in killing thousands and displacing about 900 thousand people who fled to the eastern districts in Sudan.

The United Nations has warned that Tigray may witness a humanitarian crisis but Addis Ababa claims that it adheres to humanitarian criteria during implementing military operations in the province.