Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed is warning the international community to allow the conflict in his nation to play out.
The statement came as the 72-hour surrender deadline set by Abiy for the people of Tigray was only hours away.
"While we consider the concerns and advice of our friends, we reject any interference in our internal affairs," Abiy said in a Wednesday statement posted to Twitter. "We therefore respectfully urge the international community to refrain from any unwelcome and unlawful acts of interference and respect the fundamental principles of non-intervention under international law."
On Sunday at 11:39 a.m. EST, Abiy issued a 72-hour surrender deadline to forces in Tigray. Ethiopia claims it has surrounded the capital of the region. The prime minister has warned civilians in the capital that there will be "no mercy" if they do not "save themselves" and leave the area.
Tens of thousands of Tigrayans have fled the country for neighboring Sudan.
Jake Sullivan, who was selected by President-elect Joe Biden to be his national security adviser, tweeted on Tuesday evening, "I'm deeply concerned about the risk of violence against civilians, including potential war crimes, in the fighting around Mekelle in Ethiopia. Civilians must be protected and humanitarian access must be opened. Both sides should immediately begin dialogue facilitated by the AU."
Fighting between the two groups has raged since Nov. 4, when Abiy accused the Tigray People's Liberation Front of assaulting federal troops and launched a military assault. The TPLF was the ruling party in Ethiopia for many years before Abiy became prime minister in 2018. The international community at large has repeatedly warned both sides of the conflict to take steps toward de-escalation.
Claims from either side about who has the advantage in the conflict are nearly impossible to verify because phone and internet communications to the region have been almost entirely severed.
