A burned tank stands near the town of Adwa, Tigray region, Ethiopia, March 18, 2021. REUTERS/Baz Ratner

Ethiopian rebel forces in the northern Tigray region have appealed to the international community to immediately enforce a ceasefire between them and the Ethiopian government or help them defend themselves, the group said in a Twitter statement.

BBC reports that the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) called on the international community to “compel the Eritrean army to withdraw from Tigray” and “press the Ethiopian government to come to the negotiating table”.

The rebel group made the call amid a renewed fighting that has seen involvement of neighboring Eritrea on the side of the Ethiopian government.

Eriteria has been aiding its neighbour in the fight against the rebel forces, according to the BBC.

The TPLF said it would be forced to fight on if nothing was done.

It said it was ready to respect “an immediate cessation of hostilities” if the Ethiopian government were compelled to negotiate for peace.

Earlier, the African Union (AU) called for an immediate and unconditional ceasefire between the group and Ethiopian forces amid renewed fighting in the north.

There has been no comment from the Ethiopian government on either the AU or the TPLF statements as heavy fighting continues in Tigray region.