Ethiopia’s civil war deepens; rebels are close to the capital

On the 3rd of November 2020, Ethiopia’s Tigray region declared war on the Federal Government. The Tigray Defense forces joined arms with the Oromo Liberation Army and the Gumuz Liberation Front. They have made considerable territorial gains, which are now making the Federal Ethiopian government worried.

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Yesterday, officials in Addis Ababa, the capital of Ethiopia, called on residents to acquire firearms and prepare to protect their neighborhoods, as there are fears the rebels are going to reach the city. The Tigray Liberation Front has stated it has captured two important cities around 400 km away from the capital. A nationwide state of emergency has been declared, while the US has urged the rebels not to try to take Addis Ababa, which is a city with a population of more than 5 million people.

Large portions of the Amhara and Afar regions have already been captured by the Tigray Liberation Army. Thousands of people have already perished, and over two million people have fled their homes since the start of the conflict.

The important cities of Kombolcha and Dessie, around 325 km from the capital, have been captured. There have been reports that foreign forces are fighting alongside the TPLF.

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