Ethiopia’s Federal Government on Friday declared a “state of emergency” following an escalation of violence in the northern region of Amhara, the office of Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed said.
“It has become necessary to declare a state
of emergency as a situation has emerged where it has become difficult to
control this unacceptable movement under current law,” it said in a statement
posted on social media.
The statement did not make clear if the state
of emergency applied nationwide or just to Amhara, which lies to the north of
the capital Addis Ababa.
Abiy’s government did not reply immediately
to questions from AFP.
Clashes in Amhara between the national army
and local fighters have escalated in recent weeks, prompting travel warnings
from foreign governments and the cancellation of flights by the national
carrier Ethiopian Airlines.
Tensions have been rising since April when
the federal government announced it was dismantling regional forces including
in Amhara, where nationalists felt the move would weaken Ethiopia’s second most
populous region.
AFP
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