Ethiopia's Tigray rebels start disarming under terms of Pretoria peace deal

The aftermath of an airstrike in Mekele, capital of the Tigray region of northern Ethiopia, during the conflict. © AP

Tigrayan rebels began handing in their heavy weapons on Wednesday, a crucial element in the peace deal signed with the federal government last November, ending the two-year conflict in northern Ethiopia.

"Tigray has handed over its heavy weapons as part of its commitment to implementing the #Pretoria agreement," Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF) spokesman Getachew Reda tweeted on Wednesday, referring to the 2 November deal signed in the South African capital.