Ethiopia: Army takes control of Tigray

By Nathan Morley

In a statement on Twitter, Abiy said he was pleased to share that the military operations in the Tigray region had been completed and ceased.

Abiy’s claim of victory came after the country’s army chief announced that government forces completely controlled Me-kelle.

The army has released thousands of soldiers taken prisoner by the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF). Abiy said the operation had been carried out with ‘due care for citizens’.

It is now reported that Ethiopia's federal police are searching for the leaders of the TPLF.

For weeks Abiy had vowed the military would bring an end to the fighting in the region and remove its leadership, which his government regards as illegal.

Over the last few weeks, thousands have died and more than 40,000 refugees have fled to Sudan.