Ethiopia’s government declares state of emergency in opposition Tigray region

Ethiopia’s government has declared a state of emergency in the opposition Tigray region, to last for a period of six months, the prime minister’s office said on Wednesday.

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Ethiopia’s prime minister has ordered the military to confront a regional government after he says it attacked a military base overnight, citing months of “provocation and incitement” and declaring that “the last red line has been crossed.”

The statement by Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s office Wednesday morning, and the reported attack, immediately raised concerns that one of Africa’s most populous and powerful countries could plunge back into war.

The Tigray People’s Liberation Front had played a major role in Ethiopia’s governing coalition before Abiy took office in 2018 and announced sweeping political reforms.

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