Seven Ethiopian armed and opposition groups have announced a new alliance seeking to remove Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s government and establish an inclusive transitional administration, raising fresh concerns about instability in the country. The Ethiopian Peoples’ Forces Alliance for Survival brings together the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF), Amhara Fano National Movement and Oromo Liberation Army (OLA), along with four groups representing the Somali, Afar and Benishangul-Gumuz regions. TPLF Vice President Amanuel Assefa said the groups had been coordinating for more than a year and would work together toward their political objectives. Fano leader Zemene Kassie was named chairman of the alliance. The announcement comes amid renewed tensions in northern Ethiopia. The African Union said on September 23 that military escalation had included clashes in parts of South Tigray and the Afar region, as well as the seizure of airports in Mekelle, Axum and Shire and detention of federal personnel by TPLF forces. The AU called for restraint and renewed de-escalation.
The new coalition brings together groups with sharply different histories. Fano fought alongside federal forces against the TPLF during the 2020–2022 Tigray war, while the OLA has been fighting the government in Oromia since 2018. Fano later launched an insurgency against the federal government in Amhara in 2023. The government has accused the alliance of receiving support from neighboring Eritrea, an allegation Eritrea has repeatedly denied. Analysts have also questioned whether groups separated by geography, political goals and territorial disputes can maintain sustained cooperation. The development adds to concerns over Ethiopia’s fragile post-war environment. The 2022 Pretoria peace agreement ended the Tigray conflict, which was among the country’s most devastating recent wars. The African Union has stressed that the agreement remains central to efforts to preserve peace in northern Ethiopia.
