Rebel forces in the embattled Tigray region on Sunday summoned all the public of the region to war, urging them to join to crush the enemy’s forces.

In a statement read on the regional broadcaster Dimtsi Woyane last night, the forces have called on all Tigray public to participate in the war that has “reached a critical stage” to “ensure our survival”.

The statement came after the announcement that peace talks organised by the African Union which were due to begin this week in South Africa have been postponed for “logistical reasons”.

The announcement calls on “all the regional residents to ensure our survival by coordinating our resources and participating in the war that has reached a critical stage.”

The Tigrayans authorities have accused the federal government and its Eritrean allies of launching an indiscriminate artillery bombardment of civilian areas in Rama and Adigrat towns. “The war is a threat to the existence of the people of Tigray, so everyone should come to its defensee,” the statement said.