This archive report was first published on 22 August 2021.
Published on August 22, 2021, a recruitment drive in Ethiopia's capital saw thousands of citizens, including former soldiers and nurses, register to join the fight against the Tigray forces.
Alem Bilatte, a 54-year-old retired army officer, was among them. He called the Tigray forces Ethiopia's 'enemy' and vowed to train new recruits or join the battlefront himself. 'My blood is boiling,' he said as he registered.
Bekelech Ayalew, a 47-year-old former infantry nurse, also signed up, draped in an Ethiopian flag. 'Sacrificing my blood and dying for Ethiopia is a privilege,' she said.
However, the conflict is not limited to the Tigray region. Rebel forces have advanced in western Tigray, an area claimed by ethnic Amharas, and heavy fighting has been reported in the Amhara, Oromia, and Afar regions.
The Oromo Liberation Army, designated a terrorist organization by the Ethiopian government, has declared an alliance with the Tigrayan forces, raising concerns about further escalation.
Mustafa Omer, the president of the eastern Somali region, has vowed not to negotiate with the Tigray People's Liberation Front (T.P.L.F.), citing past human rights abuses.
