Ethiopia capital could be overrun in ‘months if not weeks’: rebels | The Guardian Nigeria News
Ethiopia’s capital Addis Ababa could be overrun by rebels within “months if not weeks”, an Oromo group allied with Tigrayan fighters told AFP Wednesday, as they advance southwards.
The Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF), which has been fighting Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s government for a year, has claimed significant territorial gains in recent days, along with its ally the Oromo Liberation Army (OLA).
Odaa Tarbii, spokesman for OLA, which has also claimed recent advances in Amhara and in the Oromia region surrounding Addis Ababa, said his group intended to topple Abiy’s government, calling his removal “a foregone conclusion”.
“If things continue in the current trajectory, then we are talking about a matter of months if not weeks,” he said, referring to OLA’s move on Addis Ababa.
The comments came hours after Ethiopia declared a nationwide state of emergency Tuesday and ordered residents of Addis Ababa to prepare to defend their neighbourhoods.
In a statement released Wednesday, Abiy accused the rebel alliance of trying to turn Ethiopia into Libya and Syria, adding: “They are set to destroy a country – not to build it.”
He also urged citizens to support the war effort, saying: “Victory over the threat posed by our enemies is unattainable if we do not work together.”
Under the state of emergency, authorities can conscript “any military age citizen who has weapons” or suspend media outlets believed to be “giving moral support directly or indirectly” to the TPLF, according to state-affiliated Fana Broadcasting Corporate.
Lawmakers were expected to approve the state of emergency on Wednesday, Fana said.
TPLF spokesman Getachew Reda said Wednesday the measures amounted to a “carte blanche to jail or kill Tigrayans at will”.
“While the regime is teetering on the brink of collapse, #Abiy & his lieutenants are unleashing a reign of terror with a vengeance,” he tweeted.
Tigray air…
Ethiopia’s capital Addis Ababa could be overrun by rebels within “months if not weeks”, an Oromo group allied with Tigrayan fighters told AFP Wednesday, as they advance southwards.
The Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF), which has been fighting Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s government for a year, has claimed significant territorial gains in recent days, along with its ally the Oromo Liberation Army (OLA).
Odaa Tarbii, spokesman for OLA, which has also claimed recent advances in Amhara and in the Oromia region surrounding Addis Ababa, said his group intended to topple Abiy’s government, calling his removal “a foregone conclusion”.
“If things continue in the current trajectory, then we are talking about a matter of months if not weeks,” he said, referring to OLA’s move on Addis Ababa.
The comments came hours after Ethiopia declared a nationwide state of emergency Tuesday and ordered residents of Addis Ababa to prepare to defend their neighbourhoods.
In a statement released Wednesday, Abiy accused the rebel alliance of trying to turn Ethiopia into Libya and Syria, adding: “They are set to destroy a country – not to build it.”
He also urged citizens to support the war effort, saying: “Victory over the threat posed by our enemies is unattainable if we do not work together.”
Under the state of emergency, authorities can conscript “any military age citizen who has weapons” or suspend media outlets believed to be “giving moral support directly or indirectly” to the TPLF, according to state-affiliated Fana Broadcasting Corporate.
Lawmakers were expected to approve the state of emergency on Wednesday, Fana said.
TPLF spokesman Getachew Reda said Wednesday the measures amounted to a “carte blanche to jail or kill Tigrayans at will”.
“While the regime is teetering on the brink of collapse, #Abiy & his lieutenants are unleashing a reign of terror with a vengeance,” he tweeted.
Tigray air…
