The civil war in Ethiopia threatens to escalate further.
Rebels from the northern region of Tigray stand in front of the capital.
The civilian population is in danger.
Addis Ababa / Munich - The civil war in Ethiopia *, which has been going on for a year, is intensifying.
According to their own statements, the Tigray rebels from the northern region are only a few kilometers away from the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa.
The increasingly violent conflict between government troops and rebels is threatening the civilian population.
She threatens to get caught in the crossfire.
Ethiopia: Government appeal to citizens - "Take up arms"
In the background of the developments, the government of Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed declared a six-month state of emergency.
In addition, the population was called upon to arm themselves and to
stand
against the TPLF
(Tigray People's Liberation Front) in
order to curb their advance.
"To die for Ethiopia is a duty of all of us," said Prime Minister Ahmed, who is under increasing pressure.
On Sunday
(November 7th)
hundreds of thousands of people took part in demonstrations against the Tigray rebels in Addis Ababa and announced their support for government troops.
The
dpa
According demonstrators shouted "I'm protecting army of my country" and "The junta is Ethiopia's enemy number one" - a reference to the rebels from the northern Tigray region.
+
Tigray rebels advance towards the capital Addis Ababa.
© Uncredited / AP / dpa
Ethiopia: Civilian population suffers - hundreds of thousands threatened with death
As the fighting between the two sides grows tougher, the conflict is making the civilian population difficult to create.
According to the UN *, 400,000 people are at risk of starvation.
In the north of the country alone, more than seven million people are dependent on humanitarian aid, according to the UN.
In addition, the conflict has displaced more than 2 million people, while thousands of civilians have been killed in the battles.
UN warns of conflict spreading - "clashes must end"
Diplomatic voices are warning of the effects of the civil war in the entire region.
The threat of civil war across Ethiopia is "all too real," noted Rosemary DiCarlo, UN political affairs commissioner in the UN Security Council.
DiCarlo called for an "urgent" end to the clashes in the African country.
“Ethiopia, a founding member of the United Nations, needs our support.
We call on Ethiopians to come together to create a common and prosperous future before it's too late, ”she said.
On Friday
(November 5)
, the 15 members of the UN Security Council issued a declaration calling on the parties to the conflict to “negotiate a permanent ceasefire and create the conditions for the start of an inclusive Ethiopian national dialogue”.
Ethiopian opposition unites against Prime Minister
But despite the numerous calls, there are still no signs of defusing.
On the same day, nine Ethiopian opposition factions met in Washington and signed an alliance against Abiy's government.
They wanted to get him to form a transitional government through “negotiations or by force”, it said.
"Abiy's time is running out," said Berhane Gebrekristos, a TPLF leader and former Ethiopian US ambassador.
(bb with agencies) * Merkur.de is an offer from IPPEN.MEDIA
List of rubric lists: © Uncredited / AP / dpa