The African Union (AU) has appealed for the immediate cessation of hostilities as the military action started by the Ethiopian against the Tigray Region continues.

The Chairperson of the African Union Commission, Moussa Faki Mahamat, in a statement in Addis Ababa said he has been following with concern the escalation of military confrontation in Ethiopia.

The Federal Ethiopian government said it took the military action after the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) carried out attacks on Ethiopian National Defence Force bases in the Tigray Region on November 3.

The Ethiopian Government has also declared a six-month state of emergency in the Tigray Region.

Mahamat reaffirmed the AU’s “firm attachment to the constitutional order, territorial integrity, unity and national sovereignty of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia to ensure stability in the country and in the Region”.

In this regard, he has appealed for the immediate cessation of hostilities and called on parties to respect human rights and ensure the protection of civilians.

He has also urged the parties to engage in dialogue to seek a peaceful solution in the interests of the country.

The statement said the Chairperson has reiterated the continued readiness of the AU to support an inter-Ethiopian effort in the pursuit of peace and stability.

Both sides to the conflict have been making claims of killing large numbers of their enemies but these have not been confirmed.

The head of the TPLF, Debretsion Gebremichael, has also accused the neighbouring Eritrean government of involvement in the military operation on the Tigrayan state but this has been denied by the Eritrean government and the Ethiopian national army.

Ethiopia’s Indoctrination Director-General, Maj.-Gen. Mohammed Tessema, said the TPLF’s claim is “a complete fabrication”.

He was quoted by local media as saying that the TPLF junta has been attempting to deceive the public in various ways.

Meanwhile, Sudan said about 6,000 Ethiopians have fled the fighting and arrived at Sudanese borders, indicating that the numbers of those waiting to cross into Sudan are increasing.

Reliable sources said Sudan expects more than 200,000 Ethiopians to cross into to Gadarif State during the coming days.