Ethiopian-Eritrean forces capture Tigray town ahead of African Union-led peace talks

Ahead of the start of anticipated peace talks between the warring parties, Ethiopian and Eritrean forces captured the historic town of Adwa in the embattled Tigray region on Saturday (October 22) as Tigray forces retreated from the area after reportedly suffering major losses.

A day earlier, an airstrike hit Adwa in northern Ethiopia, causing an unspecified number of civilian casualties, according to witnesses. Losing Adwa is the latest setback for Tigray’s fugitive leaders, who have recently lost control of a string of towns, including the major town of Shire that was captured by Ethiopia’s federal government forces on October 18. Troops from neighboring Eritrea are fighting on the side of Ethiopia’s federal army in the Tigray conflict.

South Africa is set to host peace talks, convened by the African Union, that were due to begin this October 24, according to some reports, though the African Union itself has not released details about plans for the talks, if and when they start. The talks were meant to begin earlier in October but were postponed because of logistical and technical issues. Western diplomats and others have welcomed news of talks, urging the parties to agree to an immediate cease-fire.

The UN Security Council discussed the conflict in Ethiopia at a closed meeting on Friday but didn’t issue a statement because of divisions among its 15 members.

Thousands of protesters gathered Saturday in Ethiopia’s capital, Addis Ababa, for a government-sponsored rally to condemn perceived interference by outsiders in Ethiopia’s internal affairs. A statement from the federal government praised the protesters who raised their voice for the sovereignty and honor of Ethiopia. The conflict, which began nearly two years ago, has spread into the neighboring regions of Afar and Amhara as Tigray’s leaders try to break the blockade of their region.