Seven armed opposition groups from across Ethiopia have formed a coalition seeking to remove Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s government and establish a transitional administration.
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia (Running Africa) — Seven Ethiopian armed and opposition groups, including former battlefield rivals, have formed a new alliance seeking to remove Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s government and establish an inclusive transitional administration.
The Ethiopian Peoples’ Forces Alliance for Survival, announced on Sunday, brings together the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF), the Amhara Fano National Movement, and the Oromo Liberation Army (OLA), along with four other organizations.
The coalition also includes the Ogaden National Liberation Front, Afar Revolutionary Democratic Unity Front, Benishangul Peoples’ Liberation Movement, and Gumuz Peoples’ Democratic Movement.
Former Rivals Join Ethiopia’s New Alliance
The alliance is notable because some of its members fought on opposing sides during Ethiopia’s recent conflicts.
Fano forces fought alongside the federal government against the TPLF during the 2020–2022 Tigray war before launching an insurgency against federal forces in Amhara in 2023. The OLA has separately fought government forces in Oromia since 2018.
The new coalition said its members had agreed to resolve their own differences peacefully while coordinating their political and organizational efforts.
Coalition Seeks Transitional Government
In its founding declaration, the alliance said its objective was to remove the political system led by Abiy’s Prosperity Party and establish an inclusive transitional government.
It accused the federal administration of contributing to war, displacement, insecurity, poverty, and political repression. Those allegations are the coalition’s claims.
The alliance also called for a national and constitutional dialogue to address Ethiopia’s political disputes.
Federal government spokespeople did not immediately respond to Reuters requests for comment following the announcement. An adviser to Abiy had previously said that any such coalition would not be capable of overthrowing the government.
Alliance Emerges Amid Renewed Ethiopia Tensions
The coalition’s formation comes amid continuing instability across several parts of Ethiopia, including Tigray, Amhara, and Oromia.
The 2022 peace agreement ended the two-year war between Ethiopia’s federal government and Tigrayan forces, but renewed tensions and clashes have raised concerns about the durability of that settlement.
The new alliance now brings together organizations operating across several regions of Ethiopia. Whether the groups can maintain cooperation despite longstanding political and territorial disagreements remains an open question as the country faces another period of heightened tensions.
