Ethiopia's government said on Friday its troops would not advance further into the northern region of Tigray, but warned the decision could be overturned if “territorial sovereignty” was threatened.
The announcement comes days after the Tigray People's Liberation Front rebel group declared a retreat to its Tigray stronghold and signals a pause in fighting following a series of battlefield victories claimed by the government.
A TPLF withdrawal from the Amhara and Afar regions, although unconfirmed, would raise hopes of talks to end a 13-month conflict that has killed thousands and left parts of the country on the brink of famine.
On Friday, the government communication service released a statement saying federal forces had secured eastern Amhara and Afar and been ordered to “vigilantly remain in areas under our control".
“The Ethiopian government has decided not to command its forces to further advance into the Tigray region,” it said in the statement shared on Twitter.
UN chief Antonio Guterres welcomed the Ethiopian government's announcement and the message from the Tigrayan forces, his deputy spokesman Farhan Haq said.
“The secretary general urges the parties to grasp this opportunity, cease hostilities in the year-long conflict, take all steps to ensure the provision of much-needed humanitarian assistance, the withdrawal of foreign fighters, and address political differences through a credible and inclusive national dialogue,” Mr Haq said.
The halt to fighting may help lower the temperature, after months of battles that have seen both sides claim major territorial gains.
At one point, the rebels claimed to be only 200 kilometres from the capital Addis Ababa, sparking alarm among foreign governments who urged their citizens to leave the country.
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Captive Ethiopian soldiers arrive at the Mekele Rehabilitation Centre in Tigray, Ethiopia, after a four-day journey from Abdi Eshir. All photos: AFP -
Women welcome Tigray People's Liberation Front fighters as they return to Mekele after seizing control of the city in June 2021. -
Ethiopians who fled the Tigray conflict wait to charge their phones at Um Raquba refugee camp in Gedaref, Sudan. -
A member of the Afar Special Forces stands in front of the debris of a house on the outskirts of the village of Bisober in Tigray. -
People hold candles and Ethiopian flags at a memorial service for the victims of the Tigray conflict in Addis Ababa. -
An Ethiopian refugee who fled fighting in Tigray waits behind a fence in a camp in Sudan. -
Refugees living in a camp in Sudan after fleeing violence in Tigray. -
A woman walks among the remains of a destroyed factory in Ataye, Ethiopia, where more than 100 civilians died in a recent flare-up of violence. -
Two members of the Amhara militia ride in the back of a pick-up truck. Amharas and Tigrayans were uneasy neighbours before the current fighting, with tension over land sparking violent clashes. -
Militias from the Amhara region have been involved in the fighting in Tigray. -
Tens of thousands of Ethiopians gather at a rally organised by the mayor of Addis Ababa to show support for the military's efforts in Tigray. -
Zeleke Alabachew, farmer and militia fighter, tends to his land near the village of Tekeldengy, Ethiopia, Africa's second most populous nation. -
People celebrate the liberation of opposition leaders in the city of Alamata, Ethiopia. -
A family fleeing violence sit in a former classroom at May Weyni secondary school, now hosting 10,500 displaced people, in Mekele, capital of Tigray. -
Ethiopian refugees travel to Sudan to escape violence in Tigray. -
Ethiopian refugees gather to celebrate the 46th anniversary of the Tigray People's Liberation Front at Um Raquba refugee camp in Gedaref, Sudan. The TPLF dominated Ethiopian politics before being ousted from their regional stronghold last year. -
An Ethiopian refugee sets up a tent in a camp in the town of Gedaref, Sudan, after being transported from the border reception centre. -
Pro-Tigrayan demonstrators display placards during a protest in front of the chancellery in Berlin. -
The aftermath of heavy shelling in Wukro, a city north of Mekele, in Ethiopia.
But since Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, the 2019 Nobel Peace Prize winner, headed to the front line last month, according to state media, the government has retaken a string of key towns.
The government has dismissed Monday's withdrawal announcement by the TPLF as a cover-up for military setbacks.
Communications have been cut in the conflict zone and access for journalists is restricted, making it difficult to verify battlefield claims.
The fighting in Africa's second most populous nation has displaced more than two million people and more than nine million are in need of food aid, according to UN estimates.
There have been reports of massacres, mass rapes, and other atrocities by both sides. Last week, the UN Human Rights Council ordered a probe into a wide range of alleged abuses, a move condemned by Addis Ababa.
The war broke out in November last year when Mr Abiy sent troops into Tigray to topple the TPLF, accusing its fighters of attacking army camps.
He vowed a swift victory, but the TPLF mounted a shock comeback, recapturing most of Tigray by June and then advancing into Afar and Amhara.
