Tigray forces surrender heavy weapons

Forces of the Tigray Peoples Liberation Forces (TPLF) on Tuesday laid down their heavy weapons signaling a deep resonance for the agreement signed more than two months ago to end a deadly conflict in northern Ethiopia.

The spokesman for the TPLF forces Getachew Reda tweeted Wednesday they have turned over their heavy weapons in respect of the ceasefire agreement signed in South Africa in November.

Reda said “Tigray has handed over its heavy weapons as part of its commitment to implementing the #Pretoria agreement. We hope & expect this will go a long way in expediting the full implementation of the agreement. We hope & expect!”
Part of the peace agreement signed on November 12 was that the disarmament of heavy Tigrayan weapons would take place as the withdrawal of foreign and non-federal forces such as Eritrean forces accused of committing atrocities.

Evidently, Eritrea forces engaged in the Tigray war supporting the Ethiopian army in the region but Asmara did not participate in the Pretoria talks.
On December 26, an Ethiopian government delegation, including the prime minister’s national security advisor Redwan Hussein and several other ministers, visited Tigray’s capital Mekele marking a turn-around in the peace process.

This paved way for the restart of the basic amenities in Mekelle such as bank operation, power grid, and telecommunications amongst others after being cut off for more than two years.
The flight to Tigray also began operation which saw a fleet of returning of displaced Tigrayans back to their families after years of disconnection.

Tigray war displaced more than two million Ethiopians and landed hundreds of thousands of people into brink of famine conditions. According to the UN, the war in the northern Ethiopia has left more than 13.6 million people dependent on humanitarian aid.