Egypt's CBE issues EGP55b in T-bills    Egypt, Norway's Scatec explore deeper cooperation in renewable energy    Emergency summit in Doha as Gaza toll rises, Israel targets Qatar    Egypt's EDA, Korean pharma firms explore investment opportunities    CBE, banks to launch card tokenization on Android mobile apps    CIB completes EGP 2.3bn securitization for GlobalCorp in seventh issuance    Ex-IDF chief says Gaza war casualties exceed 200,000, legal advice 'never a constraint'    Right-wing figures blame 'the Left' for Kirk killing, some urge ban on Democratic Party    Egypt's FM heads to Doha for talks on Israel escalation    Egypt strengthens inter-ministerial cooperation to upgrade healthcare sector    Egyptian government charts new policies to advance human development    Egypt advances plans to upgrade historic Cairo with Azbakeya, Ataba projects    Egyptian pound ends week lower against US dollar – CBE    Egypt expresses condolences to Sudan after deadly Darfur landslides    Egypt hosts G20 meeting for 1st time outside member states    Lebanese Prime Minister visits Egypt's Grand Egyptian Museum    Egypt to tighten waste rules, cut rice straw fees to curb pollution    Egypt seeks Indian expertise to boost pharmaceutical industry    Egypt prepares unified stance ahead of COP30 in Brazil    Egypt recovers collection of ancient artefacts from Netherlands    Egypt harvests 315,000 cubic metres of rainwater in Sinai as part of flash flood protection measures    Egyptian, Ugandan Presidents open business forum to boost trade    Al-Sisi says any party thinking Egypt will neglect water rights is 'completely mistaken'    Egypt's Sisi, Uganda's Museveni discuss boosting ties    Egypt, Huawei explore healthcare digital transformation cooperation    Foreign, housing ministers discuss Egypt's role in African development push    Greco-Roman rock-cut tombs unearthed in Egypt's Aswan    Egypt reveals heritage e-training portal    Sisi launches new support initiative for families of war, terrorism victims    Egypt expands e-ticketing to 110 heritage sites, adds self-service kiosks at Saqqara    Palm Hills Squash Open debuts with 48 international stars, $250,000 prize pool    On Sport to broadcast Pan Arab Golf Championship for Juniors and Ladies in Egypt    Golf Festival in Cairo to mark Arab Golf Federation's 50th anniversary    Germany among EU's priciest labour markets – official data    Paris Olympic gold '24 medals hit record value    A minute of silence for Egyptian sports    Russia says it's in sync with US, China, Pakistan on Taliban    It's a bit frustrating to draw at home: Real Madrid keeper after Villarreal game    Shoukry reviews with Guterres Egypt's efforts to achieve SDGs, promote human rights    Sudan says countries must cooperate on vaccines    Johnson & Johnson: Second shot boosts antibodies and protection against COVID-19    Egypt to tax bloggers, YouTubers    Egypt's FM asserts importance of stability in Libya, holding elections as scheduled    We mustn't lose touch: Muller after Bayern win in Bundesliga    Egypt records 36 new deaths from Covid-19, highest since mid June    Egypt sells $3 bln US-dollar dominated eurobonds    Gamal Hanafy's ceramic exhibition at Gezira Arts Centre is a must go    Italian Institute Director Davide Scalmani presents activities of the Cairo Institute for ITALIANA.IT platform    







Thank you for reporting!
This image will be automatically disabled when it gets reported by several people.



Ethiopia armed group says it has alliance with Tigray forces
Published in Ahram Online on 11 - 08 - 2021

The leader of an armed group that Ethiopia's government has designated a terrorist organization says his group has struck a military alliance with the Tigray forces who are now pressing toward the capital, as the conflict that erupted in the Tigray region last year spreads into other parts of Africa's second-most populous country.

``The only solution now is overthrowing this government militarily, speaking the language they want to be spoken to,'' Oromo Liberation Army leader Kumsa Diriba, also known as Jaal Marroo, told The Associated Press in an interview on Wednesday.

He said the agreement was reached a few weeks ago after the Tigray forces proposed it. ``We have agreed on a level of understanding to cooperate against the same enemy, especially in military cooperation,'' he said. ``It is underway.'' They share battlefield information and fight in parallel, he said, and while they're not fighting side by side, ``there is a possibility it might happen.''

Talks are underway on a political alliance as well, he said, and asserted that other groups in Ethiopia are involved in similar discussions: ``There's going to be a grand coalition against (Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed's) regime.''

The alliance brings together the Tigray People's Liberation Front, who long dominated Ethiopia's repressive government but were sidelined when Abiy took office in 2018, and the OLA, which last year broke away from the opposition party Oromo Liberation Front and seeks self-determination for the Oromo people. The Oromo are Ethiopia's largest ethnic group.

Ethiopia's government earlier this year declared both the TPLF and OLA terrorist organizations.

There was no immediate comment from Gen. Tsadkan Gebretensae with the Tigray forces, nor from the spokeswoman for Abiy's office.

The OLA leader spoke a day after the prime minister called on all capable Ethiopians to join the military and stop the Tigray forces ``once and for all'' after they retook much of the Tigray region in recent weeks and crossed into the neighboring Amhara and Afar regions. Tigray forces spokesman Getachew Reda has told the AP they are fighting to secure their long-blockaded region but if Abiy's government topples, ``that's icing on the cake.''

With access to parts of Ethiopia increasingly restricted and journalists often harassed, it is difficult to tell how citizens will respond to the prime minister's call, or whether they will join the fight against him. The government has supported large military recruiting rallies in recent weeks.

The Tigray leaders embittered many Ethiopians during their nearly three decades in power by putting in place a system of ethnic federalism that led to ethnic tensions that continue to simmer in the country of 110 million people.

The OLA leader acknowledged that agreeing to the TPLF's proposal for an alliance took some thought. ``There were so many atrocities committed'' against the Oromo people during the TPLF's time in power, he said, and the problems it created have never been resolved.

But the OLA decided it was possible to work with the TPLF, he said, though some doubts remain. ``I hope the TPLF has learned a lesson,'' he said. ``I don't think the TPLF will commit the same mistakes unless they're out of their mind.'' If they do, there will be chaos in Ethiopia and it could collapse as a state, he said.

It was not clear how many fighters the OLA would bring to the alliance. ``This, madam, is a military secret,'' the OLA leader said.

He said he hoped the TPLF's talks with other groups would become public in the near future. He also warned the international community, which led by the United Nations and the United States has urged a halt to the Tigray conflict and negotiations, that the crisis has to be handled carefully ``if Ethiopia is to continue together.''


Clic here to read the story from its source.