Ethiopia’s Council of Ministers has declared a state of emergency in the country’s Amhara region, after a request from authorities for assistance as skirmishes between regional groups and the military escalate.
The decision was revealed by the prime minister’s office on Friday, after the region’s leader stated that normal law enforcement was no longer capable of containing the violence.
Parliament must approve the declaration.
Ethiopia’s second most populous region has been gripped by instability since April, when federal authorities moved to disarm Amhara’s security forces following the end of the divesting two-year war in the neighbouring Tigray region.
Authorities last year also tried to dismantle the informal Amhara militia known as Fano.
Residents in the Amhara region have reported fighting this week as militia members attacked army units and demonstrators blocked roadways.
Flights to Lalibela and Gondar, two famous tourist destinations, have been canceled.
Internet connectivity has also been compromised.
A state of emergency will almost certainly result in movement restrictions and expanded detention powers.
