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Ethiopian troops near the border with the Tigray region
Photo: TIKSA NEGERI / REUTERS
In the struggle for the Tigray region in northern Ethiopia, Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed issued an ultimatum to the rebels there.
In a statement on Twitter, he called on the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF) and the troops fighting for them to "surrender peacefully within 72 hours".
Otherwise the military will start an offensive on the regional capital Mekelle.
"Take this last opportunity."
The TPLF, which Tigray controls, was initially not available for comment.
She has so far refused to bow down and has stated that her fighters stand firm.
Abiy's forces have captured a number of towns in Tigray with the support of air strikes and ground fighting.
They are advancing to the town of Mekelle, which has a population of around 500,000, from where the TPLF operates.
A military spokesman announced that the city would be surrounded by tanks.
He urged civilians to get to safety.
"After that, there will be no more mercy." Abiy said every precaution had been taken to ensure civilians were not harmed.
According to a report by the state broadcaster Fana, the police arrested almost 800 people.
The suspicion: You are said to have planned "terror attacks" in the capital Addis Ababa on behalf of the TPLF.
Neither the Ethiopian government nor the TPLF commented on the report.
The conflict with the TPLF had escalated militarily on November 4th.
Both sides accuse each other of having started the fighting.
Hundreds, if not thousands, have died since then.
Tens of thousands are on the run, 30,000 people have now arrived in neighboring Sudan alone.
Several states are pressing for a peaceful solution, but Abiy, who was honored with the Nobel Peace Prize in 2019, is sticking to his offensive.
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