Ethiopia, Tigray rebels begin long-awaited peace talks in South Africa

Peace talks between an Ethiopian government delegation and rival Tigray forces have started in South Africa to end the two-year-old conflict in Ethiopia's Tigray.

They "started today, the 25th of October, and will end on the 30th of October," Vincent Magwenya, spokesperson for South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, told reporters on Tuesday.

He said the talks, which began in Pretoria, one of South Africa's three capitals, "have been convened to find a peaceful and sustainable solution to the devastating conflict."

The talks are being facilitated by Nigeria's former president Olusegun Obasanjo, supported by Kenya's former leader Uhuru Kenyatta and South Africa's ex-vice president Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, he said.

The negotiations, led by the African Union (AU), follow a surge in fighting that has alarmed the international community and triggered fears for civilians caught in the crossfire.

READ MORE: Ethiopia PM vows 'peace will prevail' as Tigray rebels agree to talks

'Conflict-free continent'

Magwenya said Ramaphosa had "readily agreed" to the AU's request for South Africa to host the parley.

"Such talks are in line with South Africa's foreign policy objectives of a secure and conflict-free continent," he said.

South Africa hopes "the talks will proceed constructively and result in a successful outcome that leads to peace for all the people of our dear sister country," he said.

Diplomatic pressure has been mounting to bring a halt to the war, which has left millions in need of humanitarian aid and, according to a US estimate, as many as half a million dead.

The current peace talks are the first formal ones since the war broke out two years ago.

READ MORE: Ethiopian forces retake three Tigray towns as fighting rages