Troops from the Tigray region of Ethiopia say they are advancing south Reuters

Authors: Dawit Endeshaw and Maggie Fick

Addis Ababa (Reuters)-The army from the Tigray region of northern Ethiopia said on Monday that they were advancing south and regaining a town from government forces, demonstrating their determination to continue fighting until the region’s The border was restored before the war.

Reuters was unable to independently confirm this claim because the communication connection with the area was interrupted.

Eight months ago, the central government forces and the region’s ruling party, the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) clashed in Tigray. Three weeks later, the government declared victory when it captured the regional capital of Mekle, but TPLF continued to fight.

On June 28, TPLF regained Meckler and now controls most of Tigray. But some areas in the west and south are also claimed by the neighboring Amhara region, which has dispatched fighter jets to disputed areas.

TPLF spokesperson Getachew Reda told Reuters on Monday that Tigrayan forces controlled Korem, a small town 170 kilometers (105 miles) south of Mekelle, and were working to seize control of Alamata, the main town 20 kilometers south.

A former Korem resident who now lives in the capital Addis Ababa told Reuters that a family member who had fled his home arrived in an area with mobile phone service and confirmed that fighting had taken place.

Colonel Getnet Adane, spokesperson for the Ethiopian military, did not comment on who controlled the town, but said in a text message that “we have declared a ceasefire” referring to the unilateral ceasefire announced by the Ethiopian government after its troops withdrew from Merkel. TPLF called the ceasefire “a joke.”

A spokesperson for Prime Minister Abi Ahmed and the head of the government’s Tigray Working Group did not respond to requests for comment.

TPLF spokesperson Getachew stated that the organization hopes to restore its pre-war borders and open transportation links to allow movement of people and humanitarian aid.

The conflict has forced nearly 2 million people to flee their homes and forced some 400,000 people into famine.

On Monday, the United Nations World Food Program said that the first humanitarian convoy to enter the Tigray area within two weeks has arrived in Merkler. The main road to Tigray has been blocked by government forces and their allies, and at least two bridges have been destroyed.

The leaders of Tigray accused the central government of blocking the area. Since the Tigrayan army captured Mekelle, telecommunications and banking have been paralyzed.

The Ethiopian authorities denied blocking aid to Tigray and stated that they were rebuilding the infrastructure.