Ethiopia urges citizens to defend capital against advancing rebel forces, declares state of emergency
- The Tigray People’s Liberation Front claims to have captured several towns in recent days and said it was considering marching on Addis Ababa
- In a statement carried by the Ethiopian News Agency, the city’s administration urged citizens to take up arms to defend themselves
Ethiopia declared a state of emergency on Tuesday after forces from the northern region of Tigray said they were gaining territory and considering marching on the capital Addis Ababa.
The announcement on state-affiliated media came two days after Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed urged citizens to take up arms to defend themselves from the Tigray People’s Liberation Front.
Earlier on Tuesday, authorities in Addis Ababa told residents to register their arms and prepare to defend their neighbourhoods.
The state of emergency was imposed after the TPLF claimed to have captured several towns in recent days and said it was considering marching on Addis Ababa, about 380km (235 miles) to the south of their forward positions.
Ethiopia last imposed such a measure in February 2018 for six months ahead of the transition of power to Abiy. Curfews were enforced and people’s movements restricted, while thousands of people were detained.
The city administration said people should register their weapons and gather in their neighbourhoods. House-to-house searches were being conducted and troublemakers arrested, a statement said.
