Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed has announced the launch of the “final phase” of the Ethiopian federal army’s operation in Tigray following weeks of fighting. His declaration followed an ultimatum he gave, for Tigray fighters to surrender, having lapsed on Wednesday.

The BBC reports Ethiopia’s PM said the military would try not to harm civilians in the regional capital, Mekelle. The city’s population of half a million has been warned to ‘stay at home’. Abiy said “great care” would be taken to ensure civilians were protected, and that “all efforts” would be made to control damage to the city. He advised people in Mekelle and the surrounding areas to disarm, and to keep away from military targets. Abiy claimed that ‘religious and historical sites, institutions and residential areas would not be targeted’.

The Three African Union representatives sent to the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa, to try to broker thus far rejected peace talks, will not be allowed to travel to Tigray.

According to the BBC, the Tigray Peoples Liberation Front party, which controls Mekelle, has sworn to keep fighting. TPLF leader, Debretsion Gebremichael, said that Tigrayan forces were ready to die to defend their right to administer their region. Trenches have reportedly been dug around Mekelle, and “everyone has an AK-47”.

The UN fears, meanwhile, possible war crimes if the Ethiopian army attacks Mekelle, while analysts fear the conflict could turn into guerrilla warfare.

Umm Muhammed Umar