Tens of thousands of Ethiopians took the streets to defend the capital, upset at foreign countries who have called for ceasefire negotiations.
According to CBS News, many of the demonstrators held placards reading “fake news, “Shame on You USA,” and “We don’t need interference from abroad.” They accuse the U.S. and other countries of spreading false information about the ongoing conflict in Ethiopia.
This week, U.S. Special Envoy to the Horn of Africa Jeffrey Feltman flew to Ethiopia to help the country’s government work out a ceasefire agreement with Tigrayan rebels.
“We are engaging with the parties to try and put them on a path to a cessation of hostilities, which is our priority now and going forward,” State Department Spokesman Ned Price said during the daily press briefing. “We believe there is a small window of opening to work with the African Union High Representative for the Horn of Africa.”
Former Nigerian President Olesegun Obasanjo also visited Ethiopia on behalf of the African Union. He says he fears a civil war is imminent if something is not done to calm the waters.
“All these leaders, here in Addis Ababa and in the north, agree individually that the differences between them are political and require a political solution through dialogue,” Obasanjo told the U.N. Security Council. “The window of opportunity we have is very little and that time is short.”
In June, Ethiopia’s government announced an immediate, unilateral ceasefire in its Tigray region following nearly eight months of conflict. The ceasefire lasted through September. However, Tigrayan troops retook its capital, Mekelle and rejected the truce.
A spokesman for the regional government of Tigray, Getachew Reda,said that its forces had “broken the backbone of the Ethiopian army” per CNN.
Last week, Tigrayan rebels formed an alliance last week with eight other militant groups, including the Oromo Liberation Army (OLA), based in the south of the country.
“What I am sure (of) is that it is going to end very soon,” Jaal Marroo told the AFP News Agency. “We are preparing to push for another launch, and for another attack. The government is just trying to buy time, and they are trying to instigate civil war in this country, so they are calling for the nation to fight.”
As foreign leaders scramble to try and put an end to Ethiopia’s war with Tigray, his opposition seems focused on continuing the fight against Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed and his government.
