Ethiopia’s Council of Ministers has declared a state of emergency in the country’s Amhara region, after a request from authorities for assistance as skirmishes between regional groups and the military escalate.
The decision was revealed by the prime minister’s office on Friday, after the region’s leader stated that normal law enforcement was no longer capable of containing the violence. Parliament must approve the declaration.
Since April, when federal officials decided to disarm Amhara’s security forces following the end of the devastating two-year conflict in neighboring Tigray, Ethiopia’s second most populous region has been gripped by insecurity.
Authorities also attempted to destroy the informal Amhara militia known as Fano last year.
This week, residents have reported fighting across the Amhara region as militia members attacked army units and protesters blocked roads. Flights to two popular tourist towns, Lalibela and Gondar, have been suspended. Internet access has been affected.
A state of emergency likely means restrictions on movement and increased powers of detention.
