Regional leaders worry escalating violence in Ethiopia could make it difficult to end the crisis, signalling a dangerous path for the country, The concerns have been raised from capitals across the world as the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) – once the ruling party – continues its advance to Addis Ababa, taking Dessie and Kombolcha cities just days ago…
Picking cue from the African Union, the UN Security Council raised “serious concerns” about the impact of the war “as well as stability of Ethiopia and the region in general”, The council, asked warring parties “to refrain from inflammatory speech and incitement to violence and create conditions for inclusive national dialogue”.
However, the calls came as opponents of Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed formed an alliance aimed at bringing him down “ by any means necessary”, According to Admassu Tsegaya, the spokesman for the alliance known as the United Front of Ethiopian Federalist and Confederalist Forces, they intend to reverse the “harmful effects of Abiy’s autocratic rule”.
According to Workneh Gebeyehu, the Ethiopian diplomat who heads the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (Igad), “an all-inclusive national dialogue and reconciliation is in the best interest of the country and the region”.
William Davison, an analyst at the International Crisis Group, thinks the TPLF is motivated to expand territory in order to assure its supply lines, as well as try to make alliances and make up for its weaknesses.
“This potentially places the TPLF to strike east so as to control the Djibouti corridor, therefore maximising the pressure on Ethiopia. It also means the group will control the main trade route for Ethiopia, and potentially rerouting humanitarian supplies from Djibouti directly to Tigray,” Davison said in a Podcast on Thursday, referring to the latest TPLF victories.
“The TPLF could also push south and take over the federal government.” Though the TPLF has profited from weaknesses in the Ethiopian National Defence Forces, Davison said it is not a guarantee any losses for Abiy amount to gains by TPLF as the group is still unpopular outside Tigray, Many remember the atrocities committed by TPLF against other ethnic communities when it was in power.
