Ethiopia is entering the final phase of operations in the Tigray region – Prime Minister

“The last peaceful gate that was left open for the TPLF clique to go through is now firmly closed,” the statement said, referring to the ruling ruling party in the region, the Tigray People’s Liberation Front.

Abiy claimed that “thousands of Tigray special forces and thousands of militias” surrendered during this time – CNN claimed it could not independently control the region due to a power outage. The internet, cell phones, and landlines don’t all work.

Ethiopian federal forces were notified to complete the “final phase” of the occupation of the regional capital, Mekelle. On Saturday, the military announced that Mekelle was surrounded by tanks and warned civilians to be aware of the artillery, as the military would “not have mercy on the junta.”

“Great care is taken to protect innocent civilians from harm,” Abiy wrote. “We call on the residents of Mekelle and its environs to disarm, stay at home and refrain from military targets and take all necessary precautions.”

The Ethiopian government has previously denied bombing civilian areas and accused TPLF forces of finding shelters in schools, churches and mosques.

The conflict, which began in early November, will take years of progress in Africa’s second most populous country and the troubled region of the Horn of Africa. More than 42,000 refugees have already crossed into neighboring Sudan, with 100,000 expected between November and June next year, according to the UN, which described the situation as a “full-scale humanitarian crisis”.

International leaders have repeatedly expressed grave concern over the disruption of humanitarian access and violence against civilians during the fighting in Mekelle. About half a million people live in the city, half of whom are children, according to UNICEF.

“I call on Ethiopian leaders to do their utmost to protect civilians, uphold human rights and ensure humanitarian access,” UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres tweeted on Wednesday.

The state-appointed Ethiopian Commission on Human Rights (EHRC), which described itself as an “independent national” institution, also stressed the importance of protecting civilians.

“The EHRC emphasizes that increased caution to avoid civilian damage is even more important now, at this stage of the conflict,” said Daniel Bekele, head of the EHRC in a tweet.