The United States, Ireland and the United Kingdom have called for a general meeting of the UN Security Council on the Ethiopian Tiger region. Diplomatic sources said on Monday that rebel forces had entered the local capital, Mekel.

The meeting is expected to take place on Friday, sources said. Since the conflict in Tiger began in November, the West has never been able to hold a public meeting on the issue, as Africans, China, Russia and other councilors say the crisis is an internal Ethiopian affair.

Troops loyal to former Tiger authorities who clashed with the federal government on Monday found McKelle, the capital of the region in northern Ethiopia. There, government representatives were evacuated and a ceasefire was declared.

The group, which calls itself the “Tiger Defense Force” (TDF), has taken control of the city, according to an AFP member of the interim local government.

Michael was captured by federal forces on November 28, 2020, three weeks after Ethiopian Prime Minister Abi Ahmed launched an offensive to oust local authorities in defiance of central authority. (TPLF), has long dominated Ethiopian political life.

Initially, the Prime Minister had said that the operation would be short-lived, but the UN said the fighting had continued and at least 350,000 people were on the verge of starvation.

The TDF unleashed an attack last week in the run-up to the expected national elections.

Meanwhile, the Eto’o government has declared a unilateral ceasefire in the region.

“A unilateral and unconditional ceasefire has been declared until June 28,” government media reported, citing an official government statement.