“We are ready to comply with an immediate and mutually agreed cessation of hostilities,” the Tiger forces said in a statement.
Tigray has set up a negotiating team which is ready to be deployed “without delay”, according to the statement. The Ethiopian federal government said in June that the African Union should facilitate the peace talks.
Ethiopian government spokesman Legesse Tulu did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The government has previously said it was ready to start talks without preconditions.
The Tiger forces have been at war with the Ethiopian federal government since November 2020. The Tiger forces accused Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed of centralizing power to the detriment of the Ethiopian regions, which Abiy denied.
Abiy accused the Tigris forces – led by the Tigr People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) which dominated national politics – of trying to regain power, which they denied.
“The next step is to finalize a comprehensive negotiated ceasefire and an inclusive political dialogue to resolve the issues underlying the current conflict,” the Tiger statement said. She said the negotiating team includes Getachew Reda, the TPLF spokesman, and General Tsadkan Gebretinsae.
The TPLF has previously said it wants free access for humanitarian aid and the restoration of services such as banking and telephone links before starting talks.
The conflict in northern Ethiopia has displaced millions and killed thousands. Fighting resumed there last month after a months-long ceasefire.