Seven Ethiopian Rebel Groups Form Alliance to Oust Government

Seven Ethiopian rebel groups have formed a new alliance, dubbed the Alliance for Survival, with the stated goal of removing the government in Addis Ababa and establishing a transitional administration.

The coalition comprises the Fano militia from the Amhara region, the Oromo Liberation Army (OLA), the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF), and four other smaller factions. Together, these groups claim that Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed's administration is responsible for widespread "war, genocide, mass destruction, and utter poverty," warning that Ethiopia is on the brink of disintegration.

Federal authorities have not yet issued a response to the announcement.

Ethiopia has been grappling with years of armed conflict, particularly in the Oromia and Amhara regions, the country's most populous states. Tensions have also resurfaced in the northern Tigray region, where a two-year civil war resulted in hundreds of thousands of deaths and displaced millions. An African Union-brokered peace deal in 2022 aimed to end that conflict, but concerns persist about potential violations of the agreement by both sides.

The Alliance for Survival's reach extends beyond Oromia, Amhara, and Tigray, incorporating groups from the Ogaden, Afar, and Benishangul-Gumuz regions, collectively representing half of Ethiopia's twelve regional states.

The Fano group in Amhara had previously fought alongside federal forces during the Tigray war. However, less than a year after the war's conclusion, the group initiated an armed insurgency against the federal government after refusing to disarm.

The government has been engaged in conflict with the OLA since 2018.

This alliance announcement follows reports of a potential pact between the TPLF and neighboring Eritrea. In July, Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed expressed confidence in Ethiopia's "defensive capabilities," stating, "Even if others were added, we do not have an iota of fear regarding Ethiopia's sovereignty."

Ethiopia held a general election in June, during which Prime Minister Abiy's Prosperity Party maintained its parliamentary majority. However, the election was marred by conflict, accusations of repression, and low participation rates from opposition parties. Both the Fano and OLA rebel groups rejected the election results, and the Tigray region, with its six million inhabitants, was excluded from the voting process.