Ethiopia announces nationwide state of emergency

Addis Ababa, Nov 3 (IANS) The Ethiopian government has announced a nationwide state of emergency rule amid the ongoing conflict in the northern part of the country.The decision was made by the Ethiopian Council of Ministers, which is expected to be endorsed by the Ethiopian House of People's Representatives (HoPR) within the coming two days period, reports Xinhua n.The state of emergency will remain in force for six months.The move came amid deteriorating conditions in northern parts of the country, as the conflict that erupted a year ago in the Tigray region between the Ethiopian federal government and forces loyal to the rebel Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF) expanded to neighbouring Amhara and Afar regions, and eventually approaching to central parts of the country in recent weeks.Since the early hours of November 4, 2020, the Ethiopian government has been undertaking military operations against the TPLF.However, the government in late June announced a unilateral ceasefire in the country's conflict-affected northernmost Tigray regional state. Forces loyal to the TPLF soon took control of much of the area in the region, including the regional capital. The conflict has since then expanded to the Amhara and Afar regions, neighbouring Tigray.The HoPR, the lower house of the Ethiopian Parliament, had previously designated the TPLF as a terrorist organisation.
--IANS ksk/

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