Ethiopia’s parliament extends state of emergency in restive Amhara state

By Mohamed Dhaysane

MOGADISHU, Somalia (AA) – The Ethiopian parliament on Friday extended the state of emergency in the restive Amhara region for six more months.

The resolution extending the emergency was presented by Justice Minister Gedion Timothios who described the extension as a necessity for maintaining peace and security in the region.

The state of emergency was initially imposed in the region in August 2023 after a conflict broke out between the army and rebels.

The conflict between the Ethiopian military and rebels began in the Amhara region after the army launched disarmament operations in the region sparking a resistance and a series of protests in Gondar, Kobo, Sekota, Weldiya, and other cities last year.

According to local media, though urban centers in the region have shown signs of stability due to the state of emergency, there have been new conflicts across major towns in the Horn of Africa nation resulting in casualties and infrastructure damage.