Ethiopia's northern region of Tigray erupted in violence 17 months ago when Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed sent in troops to topple the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF).<\/p>\n
Here is a timeline of the conflict:<\/p>\n
- 2020: Troops enter Tigray -<\/p>\n
Military action begins on November 4, 2020, when Abiy orders a response to what he calls a \"traitorous\" attack on federal army camps in Tigray.<\/p>\n
He blames the attack on the region's ruling party, the TPLF, which dominated Ethiopian politics for nearly three decades before he took office in 2018.<\/p>\n
- 'War crimes' -<\/p>\n
After 10 days of fighting, the United Nations warns of possible war crimes in Tigray.<\/p>\n
Neighbouring Eritrea -- which signed a peace deal with Abiy in 2018 that helped him win the Nobel Peace Prize -- is reported to have sent troops into Tigray to help Ethiopian forces.<\/p>\n
Two weeks later government forces take Tigray's capital, Mekele.<\/p>\n
On November 28, Abiy declares military operations are \"completed\" but fighting continues.<\/p>\n
- 2021: 'Ethnic cleansing' -<\/p>\n
In February 2021, Amnesty International says Eritrean soldiers killed \"hundreds of civilians\" in November in the holy city of Axum.<\/p>\n
For months, Ethiopia and Eritrea deny the involvement of Eritrean forces although Washington speaks of \"ethnic cleansing.\"<\/p>\n
On March 23, Abiy admits the presence of Eritrean troops and officials say they massacred more than 100 civilians in Axum.<\/p>\n
Elections are held in June across much of Ethiopia but not in Tigray.<\/p>\n
- Tigrayans advance -<\/p>\n
The rebels mount a shock comeback and retake Mekele in late June, before pushing into the neighbouring Amhara and Afar regions.<\/p>\n
On July 2, the UN says 400,000 people are on the brink of famine in Tigray.<\/p>\n
Abiy is sworn in for a new five-year term on October 4.<\/p>\n
Two weeks later, Ethiopian aircraft launch deadly strikes on Tigray.<\/p>\n
In late October the Tigrayans claim control of two key cities in Amhara -- only a few hundred kilometres north of Addis Ababa.<\/p>\n
- Abiy at the front -<\/p>\n
On November 2 2021, Ethiopia declares a nationwide state of emergency.<\/p>\n
The following day a joint UN-Ethiopian report says crimes against humanity may have been committed by \"all sides.\"<\/p>\n
Abiy arrives on the frontline on November 24 to personally direct the counter-offensive, official media say.<\/p>\n
In the first weeks of December, the government says it has recaptured a string of towns, including Lalibela, a UNESCO World Heritage site.<\/p>\n
- Rebels withdraw -<\/p>\n
On December 20, the rebels say they are withdrawing from Amhara and Afar and pulling back to Tigray.<\/p>\n
Two days later, the government says its forces will not advance further into Tigray, raising hopes of a possible cooling of the conflict.<\/p>\n
As the year ends, the UN says dozens of civilians were killed in Tigray between December 19 and 24 in an \"intense series of air attacks.\"<\/p>\n
- 2022: More air strikes -<\/p>\n
On January 7, 56 people are killed in a drone strike on a displaced persons' camp in Dedebit in northwestern Tigray, according to the rebels.<\/p>\n
Aid agencies suspend operations in the area, with the UN saying \"the intensification of air strikes is alarming.\"<\/p>\n
On January 14, the UN puts the death toll for the month at least 108 civilians and says war crimes could have been committed.<\/p>\n
On January 25, Tigrayan rebels say they have been \"obliged\" to resume combat in Afar.<\/p>\n
- 'Indefinite humanitarian truce' -<\/p>\n
The UN estimates 4.6 million people in Tigray lack access to adequate food.<\/p>\n
On March 24, the government declares an \"indefinite humanitarian truce\" to help hasten delivery of emergency aid into Tigray.<\/p>\n
The next day, Tigrayan rebels agree to a \"cessation of hostilities\" if access to aid is eased.<\/p>\n
On April 1, the UN says the first international aid convoy in three months arrives in Tigray's capital Mekele.<\/p>\n
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Ethiopia's northern region of Tigray erupted in violence 17 months ago when Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed sent in troops to topple the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF). Here is a timeline of the conflict: - 2020: Troops enter Tigray - Military action begins on November 4, 2020, when Abiy orders a response to what he […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":60,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[553,1],"tags":[],"ji_location":[],"class_list":["post-89325","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-live-feed","category-non-classifiee"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n