Ethiopia’s PM defiant as rival Tigray forces make advances

NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) — Ethiopia’s prime minister has called on citizens to redouble their efforts to combat the rival Tigray forces who claim to have seized key cities on a major highway leading to the capital, while a new wave of detentions of ethnic Tigrayans has begun.

A move on Addis Ababa is a new phase in the war that has killed thousands of people since fighting broke out a year ago between Ethiopian and allied forces and Tigray ones who long dominated the national government before Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed took office in 2018.

The prime minister’s spokeswoman, Billene Seyoum, told The Associated Press on Monday that Abiy “is where he’s meant to be, leading the country’s front and center.”

Abiy in a statement on Sunday said federal troops are fighting on four fronts against the Tigray forces and “we should know that our enemy’s main strength is our weakness and unpreparedness.” Amid calls on social media for attacks against ethnic Tigrayans, he said “we should closely follow those who work for the enemy and live amongst us.”

A new roundup of Tigrayans was seen in the capital on Monday. Government spokesman Legesse Tulu said in a statement that “those who believe the government is now weakening and (Tigray forces are) coming should be careful. Some even went to nightclubs to celebrate. The government is taking actions against those.”