Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed has urged all eligible citizens to join the Ethiopian National Defense Force (ENDF) and its allied regional forces and militias to fight against Tigrayan rebels.
The PM urged Ethiopian soldiers, regional special forces and militias to take strong military actions to destroy the “treachery internal and foreign powers.
“It was not immediatelyclear which foreign powers the Ethiopian government wasreferring to.However, some Ethiopian officials have been accusing western powers of double standards over the Tigray conflict.
On June 29, Addis Ababa officially accused the international community of responding with “dead silence” to belligerence by the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF).
“Clear double standards seem to be at play in the silence towards TPLF’s harassment and overt belligerence” the Ethiopian Prime Minister’s spokesperson, Billen Seyoum, said at a press conference.
In Tuesday’s statement, the Ethiopian government accused the Tigrayan rebel group of “colluding with internal and external enemies” to disintegrate the nation.
The national call comes as TPLF fighters continue to advance further deep in neighboring Amhara and Afar regions gaining territorial victories.
A few days ago, TPLF fighters took control of the town of Lalibela, a major tourist destination town whose famed rock-hewn churches are a United Nations World Heritage Site.
After Lalibela fall to TPLF, the US government called on the Tigrayan fighters to protect the cultural heritage of the town. Conflict in Ethiopia’s northern Tigray region broke out last November after PM Abiy’s government accused TPLF of carrying out attacks on a national army base in the region.
The Ethiopian government has repeatedly ruled out dialogue with the group saying it will not negotiate with a terrorist group.