Ethiopia's PM defiant as rebel Tigray forces make advances

NAIROBI, Kenya — Ethiopia’s premier curate has called connected his supporters to redouble their efforts successful the country’s civilian war, arsenic rebel forces claimed to person seized cardinal cities that power a large road toward the capital.

A determination connected the capital, Addis Ababa, would awesome a caller signifier successful the warfare that has killed thousands of radical since warring broke retired astir a twelvemonth agone betwixt Ethiopian authorities troops and Tigray forces successful the country’s bluish region.

The premier minister’s spokeswoman, Billene Seyoum, did not instantly respond to a question Monday astir the authorities leader’s existent whereabouts oregon question plans.

Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed successful a connection connected Sunday said national troops are warring connected 4 fronts against the Tigray forces and that “we should cognize that our enemy’s main spot is our weakness and unpreparedness.”

The Tigray forces this play told The Associated Press they were poised to physically nexus up with different equipped group, the Oromo Liberation Army, with which it struck an confederation earlier this year. The Tigray forces present assertion to power the cardinal cities of Dessie and Kombolcha, though the national authorities disputes this claim.

The warring could scope the Oromo portion that neighbors the country’s capital. Ethnic Oromo erstwhile hailed Abiy arsenic the country’s archetypal Oromo premier minister, but discontent has since emerged with the jailing of outspoken taste leaders.

Also connected Sunday, the authorities of the Amhara region, wherever warring has been focused since Tigray forces retook overmuch of their ain portion successful June, ordered astir each authorities institutions to halt their regular activities and articulation the warfare effort. It besides banned astir activities successful cities and towns aft 8 p.m.

The Tigray forces accidental they are pressuring Ethiopia’s authorities to assistance a months-long blockade connected their portion of astir 6 cardinal people.

Tigray leaders agelong dominated the nationalist authorities earlier Ahmed took bureau successful 2018.