www.aljazeera.com
Surrender deadline nears as Ethiopia prepares Tigray attack
Ultimatum for Tigray leaders to surrender set to expire at 16:30 GMT as international community calls for de-escalation.
International
A surrender deadline for Tigray forces is just hours away with Ethiopia’s military threatening to bombard the regional capital – a city of half a million people.
Ethiopia’s prime minister on Wednesday rejected growing international demands for dialogue and a halt to deadly fighting in the northern Tigray region as “interference”, saying his country will handle the conflict on its own as the 72-hour surrender ultimatum expires at 16:30 GMT.
“We respectfully urge the international community to refrain from any unwelcome and unlawful acts of interference,” a statement from Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s office said as government forces encircled the Tigray capital, Mekelle, with tanks.
“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.”