This archive report was first published on 2 November 2021.
On November 2, 2021, Ethiopia declared a state of emergency in response to the escalating conflict between government forces and the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF) rebels in the northern region.
The declaration was made via State-owned media FanaBC, which stated that the directive was effective immediately.
As tensions rise, Tigrayan fighters claimed to have captured the cities of Dessie and Kombolcha in Amhara, with residents in Dessie confirming the presence of TPLF fighters in the city.
However, the Ethiopian government denied the claim, but Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed had previously urged Ethiopians in Addis Ababa to prepare to defend the city.
The conflict between the federal government and TPLF, once a dominant part of the Ethiopia's former ruling party, first erupted in November 2020, resulting in thousands of deaths and millions of displaced people.
