On 28 June 2021, the Ethiopian government declared a unilateral ceasefire in the northern Tigray region, following nearly eight months of sustained conflict with the former regional administration — the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF). The federal government stated that the interim regional administration — which it appointed after ousting the TPLF — requested the ceasefire, which is expected to be in place until the farming season ends in late September. The conflict has severely worsened an existing humanitarian and food crisis in the region; officials hope to counter the famine by halting fighting and planting crops instead. Following the ceasefire announcement, a spokesperson for the TPLF stated that its forces had regained control of the regional capital city Mekele, although there were no reports of hostilities. The U.S. Embassy in Addis Ababa issued an alert on 29 June, reminding U.S. citizens that the overall situation in the Tigray region remains unchanged. The alert is available in the Government Warnings section below.