Less than a week into an intense offensive by Tigrayan forces, the Ethiopian military has withdrawn from the war-torn regional Tigrayan capital of Mekelle on Monday, a UN official told . The official spoke on the condition of anonymity due to fear of reprisal from the Ethiopian government.
The news was greeted with cheers in Mekelle, and journalists witnessed as people poured onto the streets in celebration, despite calls for them to stay indoors. Fireworks could also be heard as celebrations carried on into the night.
A spokesman for the regional government of Tigray, Getachew Reda, said Monday that its forces had “broken the backbone of the Ethiopian army” after fighting nine divisions to take the capital.
He said he would celebrate regaining the city with friends this evening, but that the conflict was far from over. “People are celebrating, the capital has been liberated from our enemies, but as far as I am concerned there is little to celebrate because we still have fighting to do,” Reda told over the phone.
“Our objectives are degrading the enemy’s fighting capabilities. This is a criminal army and we will follow it everywhere to make sure it doesn’t have the capacity to come back.”
“We will not stop until Tigray has been cleared of any and all enemy forces. We will do whatever it takes,” he concluded.
reached out to the Ethiopian Government for comment but has yet to hear back. However, the government said Monday in a statement carried by state broadcaster EBC that it had accepted a ceasefire request by the Tigray Interim Government, which is loyal to the executive in Addis Ababa.
According to the statement, the unilateral ceasefire will last across the region until the end of the crucial planting season in Tigray, which ends at the end of September.
For seven months, Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, with the help of neighbouring Eritrea, has been locked in conflict with the region’s elected leadership — the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF).
Last week, at least 30 people died when a government airstrike hit a busy marketplace in the small town of Togoga, west of Mekelle, eyewitnesses and medics told .
That airstrike marked one of the deadliest attacks in the eight-month war that has fueled famine, forced millions to flee and severely damaged the reputation of the Nobel Peace Prize-winning Abiy.
Allegations of damage and looting
Reda, the regional government spokesperson, also accused the retreating Ethiopian army of looting banks and damaging critical infrastructure on its way out of the Mekelle. “We decided to prioritize taking control of the capital rather than pursuing the enemy because they were targeting banks, vandalising property,” he explained.
Earlier on Monday, witnesses told that Ethiopian soldiers were seen entering banks, media bureaus and the offices of humanitarian agencies. A UN official also told that the offices of the International Organization for Migration, UNICEF and the World Food Program were raided by Ethiopian forces around 4 pm local time.
UNICEF Executive Director Henrietta Fore condemned the action “in the strongest terms.”
“Members of the Ethiopian National Defense Forces entered our office in Mekele, Tigray, Ethiopia today and dismantled our VSAT equipment,” she said. “This act violates UN privileges and immunities and the rules of International Humanitarian Law regarding respect for humanitarian relief objects.”
UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric joined in on the criticism of Ethiopian forces when asked by journalists at the United Nations in New York.
“We condemn any and all attacks on humanitarian workers and assets and remind again all parties of their obligations under international humanitarian law,” Dujarric told journalists on Monday. “The safety of our staff is a priority and we are doing everything we can to ensure it.”
“All parties must ensure the protection of civilians and that all humanitarian assistance, provided by the United Nations, is provided according to humanitarian principles,” he also said.