Ethiopia’s government has declared a state of emergency in the northern Tigray region after Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed accused the opposition-led local government of attacking federal troops and trying to “loot” military assets. “Our defence forces … have been ordered to carry out their mission to save the country. The final point of the red line has been crossed. Force is being used as the last measure to save the people and the country,” Abiy said in a social media post. Military operations in the region have commenced, Abiy’s spokeswoman Billene Seyoum told the Reuters news agency on Wednesday, without giving further details. In September, Tigray held regional elections in defiance of the federal government, which called the vote “illegal”. The row has escalated in recent days with both sides accusing each other of plotting a military conflict. Tigrayans had ruled Ethiopian politics since armed fighters removed a Marxist dictator in 1991, but their influence has waned under Abiy. Last year, the TPLF quit his ruling coalition. Since Abiy came to power in 2018, many senior Tigrayan officials have been detained, fired or sidelined in what the federal government describes as a crackdown on corruption. But Tigrayans say the moves are intended to suppress dissent. Tigray’s population makes up six percent of Ethiopia’s 109 million people.
SOURCE: AL JAZEERA
More Stories
Tunisian City Attracts a New Type of Tourist
DYK that the Green Point Lighthouse is the Oldest Operational Lighthouse in South Africa?
This Mauritian Resort is the Definition of Relaxation
Who Wouldn’t Happily Take a trip to Seychelles at Any Given Point in the Year?
Your July Destination is Sorted
A Gourmet Revival of Sierra Leone’s Bold Flavours
A Continental Visionary Design Indaba Emerging
How David Ochieng Uses Fashion to Positively Impact Kenyan Communities
Mbongeni Buthelezi: The South African Artist Turning Plastic into Portraits
What Tems’ Global Success Means for Women in African Music
Radisson Blu Hotel Is Officially Open In Durban
Hilton Closes Shop in Nairobi