Ethiopian parliament ratifies state of emergency rule

The Ethiopian House of People's Representatives (HoPR) on Thursday ratified a six-month sate of emergency rule amid expanding conflict in the northern part of the country.

On Tuesday, the Ethiopian Council of Ministers had announced the state of emergency rule pending endorsement by the HoPR, the lower house of the Ethiopian parliament.

The move came as the conflict that erupted a year ago in the Tigray region between the Ethiopian federal government and forces loyal to the rebel group expanded to neighboring Amhara and Afar regions.

On Tuesday, authorities in Ethiopia's capital Addis Ababa announced they have started a two-day weapons registration drive.

Amid intensifying conflict over northern parts of the East African country, the Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed had on Sunday called on all able Ethiopians to participate in the ongoing fighting against the rebel group.

Since the early hours of Nov. 4, 2020, the Ethiopian government has been undertaking military operations against the TPLF.

However, the government in late June announced a unilateral ceasefire in the country's conflict-affected northernmost Tigray regional state. Forces loyal to the TPLF soon took control of much of the area in the region, including the regional capital. The conflict has since then expanded to the Amhara and Afar regions, neighboring Tigray.

The HoPR, the lower house of the Ethiopian parliament, had previously designated the TPLF as a "terrorist" organization. The Ethiopian government had previously assigned an interim administration in Tigray after the ouster of the TPLF. (ANI/Xinhua)

( With inputs from ANI )

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