Ambassador Bacha Debele made the announcement in a video posted on YouTube.

"Regarding the surrender of heavy weapons, they [TPLF] were supposed to surrender them on 17 November, but this was not implemented but it has now been decided for them to surrender them on 3 December," he said.

Mr Bacha said the field commanders are "meeting everyday" to discuss the disarmament process and TPLF combatants are being assembled in designated areas.

"Information I obtained today indicates that activities have begun to assemble [TPLF combatants] in designated areas. They are implementing this [disarmament process]," he added.

The ambassador also said it would be embarrassing to talk about the human cost of the war in public.

The Ethiopian government and the TPLF signed a peace agreement in South Africa early this month to peacefully end the two-year devastating war.