The ultimatum set by the Ethiopian federal government for Tigray leaders to surrender was to expire at 16H30 GMT on Wednesday.

Al Jazeera reports that Ethiopia’s military is threatening to bombard Tigray’s capital. The city has a population of half a million people. Mekelle has been surrounded by government tanks.

Ethiopia’s prime minister on Wednesday continued to reject international calls for talks, as “interference”, saying his country will handle the conflict on its own. A statement from Abiy Ahmed’s office read: “The international community should stand by until the government of Ethiopia submits its requests for assistance to the community of nations. We reject any interference in our internal affairs.”

Al Jazeerah reports that Abiy’s government has warned Mekelle’s residents of ‘no mercy’ and has instructed them to remain away from the leaders of the Tigray Peoples Liberation Front and from military installations. The United Nations, meanwhile, has warned that the use of such provocative language could lead to “further violations of international humanitarian law”.

It remains unclear whether the residents of Mekelle are aware of the warnings due to the communications blackout imposed on the Tigray region. Meanwhile, according to Al Jazeera, Abiy’s government has, in Somalia, disarmed hundreds of Tigrayans in an AU  peacekeeping force.

Umm Muhammed Umar