A new coalition known as the Survival Alliance formed to challenge the federal administration in Ethiopia, bringing together seven armed groups from diverse nationalities that previously fought on opposite sides during prior conflicts Alaraby. The coalition includes the Tigray People’s Liberation Front, the Fano militia in Amhara, alongside factions from Oromia, Afar, and Benishangul-Gumuz Newsroom Info.
Survival Alliance and Expanding Conflict Across Ethiopia
The clashes involve the Ethiopian military and the alliance across the Tigray, Amhara, and Afar regions, an expansive territory home to over 38 million people near the borders of Djibouti and Eritrea Alaraby. The Tigray People’s Liberation Front declared a total war against the national army and reported capturing three towns within the neighboring Afar region Alaraby. This escalation follows the Pretoria Agreement signed in November 2022, which had previously established a cessation of hostilities without resolving underlying territorial, boundary, displaced population, and local governance disputes Newsroom Info.
Regional Tensions and Official Accusations
Field Marshal Berhanu Jula, chief of staff of the Ethiopian National Defense Force, accused external actors of supplying military, logistical, and political support to the newly formed alliance to destabilize the country Alaraby. Specifically, Jula alleged that Eritrea financed the coalition groups, while stating that other regional stakeholders including Sudan and Egypt have provided resources to anti-government factions Alaraby.
In response, Sudanese military spokesperson Issam Awad issued a statement rejecting Addis Ababa’s claims, countering that the Sudanese military maintains information indicating the Rapid Support Forces continue to receive training, logistical supply, and staging support from inside Ethiopian territory Alaraby.