Seven Ethiopian armed groups, including former enemies who fought on opposite sides of a 2020-2022 civil war, have formed an alliance aimed at overthrowing Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed's government. The Ethiopian Peoples' Forces Alliance for Survival brings together groups from various regions, including Tigray, Oromia, Afar, Benishangul-Gumuz, and the Somali Region. This diverse coalition has sparked concerns about its potential impact on the country's stability.
The alliance includes the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF) and the Amhara Fano National Movement, which fought on opposite sides of the Tigray war. Fano, a coalition of armed groups from the Amhara region, initially supported the federal government against the TPLF but later turned against the government in a conflict that has killed thousands since 2023. Many of these groups accuse the government of centralizing power and marginalizing the regions.
An adviser to Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed previously stated that any coalition of armed groups would seek to cause chaos but would not be able to overthrow the federal government. However, the new alliance, announced on Sunday, appears determined to challenge the government's authority. The groups have accused the government of failing to address longstanding political divisions and internal conflicts, despite its efforts to launch a national dialogue.
The alliance was announced through a statement read out by Fano leader Zemene Kassie and broadcast on Tigrayan television. The statement emphasized the groups' historic responsibility to overthrow the current regime. This development follows reported skirmishes between federal and Tigrayan forces, as well as drone strikes against Tigrayan forces by the Ethiopian military in recent months.
The TPLF reasserted control over the region's political administration in May, in violation of the 2022 peace deal that ended the Tigray war. The group accused the federal government of failing to uphold the agreement. Meanwhile, Ethiopia has accused its neighbor Eritrea of supporting insurgent groups, including the TPLF and Fano, which Eritrea has denied.
The Ethiopian government has not commented on the reported drone strikes, but the military said nearly 300 Tigrayan fighters had surrendered to it last week. The country's internal conflicts have resulted in significant human suffering, with hundreds of thousands of deaths reported during the Tigray war and thousands more in the Amhara region since 2023.
The formation of the Ethiopian Peoples' Forces Alliance for Survival has raised concerns about the potential for further violence and instability in the region. The group's ability to coordinate and challenge the government's authority remains to be seen. Key points include:
Key points
- The alliance brings together seven armed groups from various Ethiopian regions.
- The groups accuse the government of centralizing power and marginalizing the regions.
- The alliance aims to overthrow Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed's government.
