Ethiopia has partially restored electricity supply to its restive northern Tigray regional state, Ethiopian authorities said on Wednesday.

In a statement, the Ethiopia Electricity Power (EEP) said electricity was partially restored to Tigray’s regional capital Mekelle and other regional cities since Wednesday noon.

The partial power restoration came after technicians from EEP managed to repair the damaged electricity transmission lines.

The Tigray regional state had been in a total electricity blackout since February 17, due to a “sabotage” on a high voltage electricity transmission line running from the southern Tigray city of Alamata to Mekelle.

The Ethiopian government had previously blamed the sabotage by “junta remnants” on the Alamata-Mekelle high voltage electricity transmission line for the massive electricity blackout.

The term “junta remnants” refers to forces aligned with the Tigray region’s ex-ruling party, Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF), currently engaged in conflict with forces of the Ethiopian federal government.

Months of fighting between the TPLF, which used to rule the Tigray regional state, and the Ethiopian National Defence Forces have reportedly left thousands of people dead.

Hundreds of thousands of others displaced, and millions are in urgent need of humanitarian assistance.

According to Ethiopian government figures, the conflict has displaced around 2.2 million people, while 4.5 million people require emergency aid.