Rebel forces in Ethiopia’s war-torn Tigray region have dismissed government proposals for a unilateral “humanitarian ceasefire”.

A bloody civil war between the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) and the Ethiopian federal government has been raging in Tigray since November 2020. The conflict, which is the culmination of decades of political tension, began when Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed ordered a military offensive in response to attacks on government military installations.

The rejection of the ceasefire declaration came after the TPLF reassumed control of Tigray’s capital, Mekelle, on Monday, forcing government officials and security forces to flee and sparking jubilation amongst many of the city’s residents.

The capture of Mekelle comes as part of a series of substantial territorial gains for the rebels, with Tigrayan forces also entering the town of Shire on Tuesday. Getachew Reda, spokesman for the TPLF, called the proposed ceasefire a “sick joke”, adding that:

“Our forces are still in hot pursuit to the south, east, to continue until every square inch of territory is cleared from the enemy.”

In a statement released immediately after their forces captured Mekelle, the TPLF called on the:

“people and army of Tigray to intensify their struggle until our enemies completely leave Tigray. The government and army of Tigray will carry out all the tasks necessary to ensure the survival and security of our people.”

According to the central government, the adoption of a ceasefire agreement would:

“enable farmers to till their land, aid groups to operate without any military movement around and engage with remnants (of Tigray’s former ruling party) who seek peace”

In recent months, calls for a ceasefire have intensified, with the detrimental human rights implications of prolonged fighting quickly being exposed. The sheer scale of the humanitarian crisis currently unfolding in Tigray cannot be understated; a total of 5.2 million people – 91% of Tigray’s population – are in need of emergency food assistance according to the World Food Programme, with UN estimates suggesting that more than 350,000 Tigrayans are now on the brink of famine. Earlier this month, Nick Dyer, UK Special Envoy for Famine Prevention and Humanitarian Affairs, said that:

“Only a break in the fighting now could avert the risk of famine.The United Kingdom calls for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire by all conflict parties so that planting & other vital agricultural activities can commence.”

More than two million people have also been displaced by the conflict, many of whom now reside in Sudanese refugee camps, where access to basic needs such as water, food, blankets, and sanitation is extremely limited.

While the territorial advancements of the TPLF, coupled with their unabated desire to control the entirety of Tigray, suggests that an end to the fighting is a remote prospect, the warring parties must ensure that measures are immediately taken to secure the unimpeded provision of humanitarian assistance.