Ethiopia Says Foreign Support Is Fueling Rebel Alliance Seeking to Oust Government
ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia — Ethiopia’s government says foreign-backed efforts are being used to weaken the country, insisting that its security forces have the capacity to defend national sovereignty and confront the emerging threat.
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The warning follows an announcement by several armed groups, including the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF), the Amhara Fano National Movement and the Oromo Liberation Army (OLA), that they had joined forces to remove Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s government and create a transitional administration.
The newly established Ethiopian Peoples’ Forces Alliance for Survival unites organisations from different regions that have previously fought federal authorities in separate conflicts. The alliance said it would coordinate operations against the government while pursuing the formation of a transitional government.
Ethiopian officials have frequently alleged that foreign actors support armed and political opponents. Abiy’s spokesperson, Billene Seyoum, said members of the alliance had been working together for some time and had received financial support from Eritrea. Eritrea has not immediately commented on the latest accusation and has previously rejected claims that it backs Ethiopian rebel groups.
The government has also alleged that the TPLF continues to operate outside Ethiopia and maintains bases in neighbouring countries to advance objectives that officials view as a challenge to the country’s sovereignty. Authorities have said Ethiopia’s security institutions are strong enough to stop those activities from endangering the federal government.
The alliance represents a significant shift in Ethiopia’s already complicated security environment. Its members include former enemies who fought on opposing sides during the 2020-2022 Tigray war, alongside groups engaged in separate insurgencies in Oromia and Amhara.
The groups accuse Abiy’s administration of concentrating power at the centre and sidelining regional communities. They say they want to remove the current government and support an inclusive transitional administration. TPLF Vice President Amanuel Assefa said coordination among the groups had been under way for more than a year.
The announcement comes as relations between federal authorities and Tigrayan forces deteriorate again. The African Union has said both sides have deployed troops along Tigray’s border in recent months, fuelling concern that large-scale fighting could resume after the 2022 peace agreement brought the devastating Tigray conflict to an end.
Analysts remain uncertain whether the groups can function as a single force, given their competing political aims, territorial disagreements and distinct histories. They have nevertheless cautioned that coordinated activity across multiple regions could increase pressure on federal forces already conducting security operations on several fronts.
The Ethiopian government continues to present national dialogue as the preferred route for resolving political divisions and armed conflicts. At the same time, it maintains that the country’s security institutions can protect Ethiopia and preserve its federal system.
The alliance’s formation adds to Ethiopia’s continuing political and security difficulties, as the government confronts armed opposition in several regions and renewed tensions in Tigray.
AXADLETM
