JOHANNESBURG, South Africa (AP) — A South Africa government spokesman says peace talks to end Ethiopia's Tigray conflict have begun there. It is the most significant effort yet to end the two years of fighting that has killed tens of thousands of people.

The spokesman for South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, Vincent Magwenya, said Tuesday the African Union-led talks are expected to continue until Sunday. Delegations from the Ethiopian government and Tigray authorities arrived in South Africa this week.

“Such talks are in line with South Africa’s foreign policy objectives of a secure and conflict-free continent,” Magwenya said.

Former Nigerian president and AU envoy Olesegun Obasanjo, former South African deputy president Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka and former Kenyan president Uhuru Kenyatta will facilitate the talks with the encouragement of the United States.

The talks come as Ethiopian and allied forces from neighboring Eritrea have taken over some urban areas in Ethiopia's Tigray region in the past few days.