First UN aid convoy in 3 months enters war-ravaged northern Ethiopia

ADDIS ABABA, April 1 (Xinhua) -- The United Nations World Food Program (WFP) announced Friday evening that the first aid convoy in three months has entered Ethiopia's northern Tigray regional state.

WFP Ethiopia said on social media that "13 trucks have arrived safely in Mekelle, capital of Tigray regional state."

"More trucks and fuel will follow in the morning," it said, noting a need for daily convoys to meet the needs of 5 million people in the war-ravaged region.

The arrival of the WFP aid convoy in Tigray came a week after the Ethiopian government and the rebel Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF) conditionally agreed to a cessation of hostilities and unhindered delivery of humanitarian aid into the region.

The TPLF and the Ethiopian National Defense Force, backed by allied forces, have been engaged in a nearly 18-month conflict that has reportedly left tens of thousands of people dead and millions in urgent need of humanitarian assistance.

The Ethiopian parliament designated the TPLF as a terrorist organization in May 2021.