The announcement was made by African Union chief mediator Olusegun Obasanjo following talks between the two sides in South Africa.

Between 385,000 and 600,000 civilians are estimated to have died during the two-year war in Tigray because of fighting, famine and lack of health care, according to a Belgian-led academic team.

An earlier five-month truce collapsed in August, and government forces - backed by troops from Eritrea - took control of key cities and towns from Tigrayan forces.