🇪🇹⚔️ Rebels push deeper into Ethiopia as government seeks urgent reinforcements

The Ethiopian government plans to withdraw more than 3,000 troops from Somalia and redeploy them to counter a growing rebellion at home, Bloomberg reports.

Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed is facing a coalition of seven armed and political groups, including the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF), the Amhara Fano militia and the Oromo Liberation Army (OLA), which have formed the Alliance for Survival to oust the federal government. The rebels launched a major offensive on September 23.

On September 28, Ethiopian federal forces seized Alamata, a town in the Tigray Region, and moved closer to the Tigrayan capital of Mekelle, held by rebels. While social media accounts have circulated videos purportedly showing weapons abandoned by the TPLF and its allies, the conflict appears to be only ramping up.

The same day, reports emerged that TPLF forces had seized Erebti and were advancing toward Afdera, as fighting spread beyond Tigray and Amhara into Afar. The rebels seek to oust the incumbent government, establish an inclusive transitional administration and pursue constitutional reform.

The Ethiopian government accuses Eritrea and Sudan of backing the rebels, charges both countries firmly deny. Sudan, in turn, accuses Ethiopia of supporting the RSF, which has been fighting the Sudanese government since April 2023.

Relations between Ethiopia and Eritrea have also soured, with PM Abiy Ahmed repeatedly hinting at plans to gain access to Red Sea coastline under Eritrean control by force.

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