Ethiopia’s Amhara state rallies youth to fight Tigrayans as war expands.
On Sunday Ethiopia’s Amhara state called on “all young people” to take up arms against Tigrayan fighters fighting the federal government army and forces from nine other parts of Ethiopia.
A mass mobilization campaign against the militants from the Popular Front for the Liberation of Tigray (TPLF) – which the Amhara army has said they are now attacking the government – adds to the eight-month war and stability in the Horn of Africa.
“Militants, non-militants in this area ,I call on all young people, armed with any government weapons, with personal weapons, to join the anti-TPLF mission from tomorrow,” said Agegnehu Teshager. . as state media in the region say.
An appeal to TPLF spokesperson Getachew Reda for comment was dismissed.
War broke out between the Ethiopian army and the TPLF, which controls the northern region of Ethiopia, in November.
Three weeks later, the government declared victory by capturing Mekelle, the capital of Tigray, but the TPLF continued to fight. At the end of June, the TPLF gained control of Mekelle and the Tigray majority after the withdrawal of government troops.
This week, the Watigray launched their offensive towards Afar, their northeastern state, where they said they planned to target troops from Amhara province fighting the Federal Army in the region. Read more
Afar is a strategic area of Ethiopia without a port because the main road and railway connecting the capital Addis Ababa and the port of Djibouti cross.
Amhara Special Forces Commander Brigadier General Tefera Mamo was quoted by state media in the region on Saturday as saying that the war had spread to the government.
“The terrorist group has started a war in the Amhara and Afar areas and is also harassing Ethiopians,” Tefera said, referring to TPLF. “Amhara special forces are fighting in coordination with other security forces.
Thousands of people have died in the fighting, nearly 2 million have been displaced and more than 5 million are dependent on emergency food aid.
