Seven Ethiopian opposition and armed groups have formed an alliance aimed at removing Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s government and establishing a transitional administration. The coalition is called the Ethiopian Peoples’ Forces Alliance for Survival.
The Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) announced its cooperation with other factions, including those from Amhara and Oromo regions. Michael Asgedom, a spokesperson for the TPLF, said that this move was both political and military in nature. Zemene Kassie, who leads the Amhara Fano National Movement, appeared on Tigray TV to announce the formation of this alliance.
The seven members are the Amhara Fano National Movement, Oromo Liberation Army, Tigray People’s Liberation Front, Ogaden National Liberation Front, Afar Revolutionary Democratic Unity Front, Benishangul Peoples’ Liberation Movement and Gumuz Peoples’ Democratic Movement.
The new alliance comes amid ongoing conflict in various parts of Ethiopia, including in the Amhara and Oromia regions. Fano forces have fought federal troops in Amhara since 2023 while the Oromo Liberation Army has continued an insurgency in Oromia.
The alliance brings together groups that have previously fought on opposite sides. Fano forces supported the federal government against the TPLF during the 2020-2022 Tigray war. The two sides also continue to have disputes over territory including western Tigray. Reuters reported that some members of the new alliance remain divided over territorial and political issues.
The federal government has been facing renewed tensions with Tigrayan forces as well as armed conflicts in other regions. The TPLF reasserted control over Tigray’s regional administration in May after accusing the federal government of failing to honor the 2022 peace agreement. The Ethiopian military has also carried out several drone strikes against Tigrayan forces in recent months according to data cited by Reuters from the Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project.
The TPLF has said the 2022 peace agreement is no longer valid. Asgedom told The Associated Press that joint military operations involving alliance members could become necessary to achieve their stated goal of removing the government.
Relations between Ethiopia and Eritrea have worsened in recent years, partly due to Ethiopia’s desire for access to the port of Assab in Eritrea. Ethiopia has also accused Eritrea of supporting rebel groups operating within its borders. Eritrea has denied accusations that it is backing Ethiopian insurgent groups.
The Ethiopian government had not publicly responded to the alliance announcement as of Sept. 21. An adviser to Abiy said in August that any such coalition could create instability but would not be able to overthrow the federal government.
The formation of the alliance adds another source of pressure on a government already dealing with armed conflicts and political disputes in several regions. It remains unclear how closely the seven organizations will cooperate because some of them have longstanding political and territorial disagreements.
IMAGE: Tigray, Ethiopia Source Tigray, Ethiopia Author Rod Waddington from Kergunyah, Australia CC2