Ethiopia's parliamentarians removes the Tigray rebel group from the list of terrorist organizations.

The Ethiopian senate withdrew the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF), a party of the insurgent leaders in northern Ethiopia, from the list of terrorist organizations on Wednesday, according to the lower house of the Ethiopian parliament.

"By a majority vote, the House adopted the decision to remove the TPLF's terrorist designation," the Ethiopian House of People's Representatives said on Facebook.

The TPLF, which had controlled Ethiopia for three decades before being progressively marginalized with the arrival of Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed in 2018, was designated a terrorist organization by Ethiopian officials on May 6, 2021.

"During the debates (...), it became clear that removing the terrorist designation from the TPLF was critical for the implementation of the Pretoria peace agreement reached between the federal government and the TPLF," the lower house said.

It did not say how many ballots were cast in support, but it did state that 61 MPs voted against it and five abstained.

Fighting has ceased in line with the peace deal, essential services (electricity, telephones, banks, etc.) have started to be restored in Tigray, and entry to the area has been resumed.

The removal of the TPLF's terrorist classification clears the way for the formation of a transitional government in Tigray led by the TPLF.