This archive report was first published on 6 November 2021.
November 6, 2021
Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed has called on Ethiopians to make sacrifices to fend off rebels threatening the capital, as the US orders its non-essential diplomats and their families to leave the country.
Abiy, the winner of the 2019 Nobel Peace Prize, sent troops into Tigray in November last year to topple the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF), accusing them of attacking military bases.
However, the TPLF has since retaken most of Tigray and expanded into neighboring Afar and Amhara regions, with the group's representative, Berhane Gebre-Christos, signing a nine-party agreement in Washington to join forces with other rebel groups.
The US State Department has ordered the departure of non-emergency US government employees and their family members, and is urging all other US nationals to leave the country.
Other countries, including Saudi Arabia, Norway, Sweden, and Denmark, have also urged their citizens to leave Ethiopia in the past week.
Abiy has denied any major rebel advance or threat on the capital, vowing to press on to victory in what he calls an 'existential war.'
However, the UN Security Council has called for a ceasefire, and the conflict has exacerbated ethnic rivalries, with calls for war and hatred rife on social media.
Twitter has temporarily disabled its 'trends' section for Ethiopia, citing concerns over inciting violence or dehumanizing people.
