Jigjiga (PP News Desk) — One day after the Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed had declared war against Tigray region, the President of the Somali region of Ethiopia Mustafe Omer held a press conferencen in Jigjiga.
“We support the decision of the Federal Government to carry out operations against TPLF” Mustafe said.
The regional government he leads reportedly raised militias to be deployed at the border between the Afar region and Tigray. The Somali Liyu police are fighting alongside Amhara regional forces against Tigrayan forces.
“The fact that the Amhara special force is one of the units at the forefront fighting Tigray tells us many things! This is a signal of state-led and state-facilitated civil war!” tweeted Henok G. Gabisa, an International Human Rights expert.
In 2019, the Somali Democratic Party, a satellite party, joined Prosperity Party formed by Abiy Ahmed and modelled on the now-defunct EPRDF.
Ogaden National Liberation Front has issued a position statement on the civil war in Ethiopia. “ONLF is gravely concerned about the … outbreak of war in and around Tigray. The nations of Ethiopia have had their share of wars and natural disasters, and were expecting a period of reprieve and recuperation. Consensus and dialogue are the only way forward for all to reach a win-win solution” reads the statement.
“We oppose the decision of President Mustafe to portray Somalis in Ethiopia as supporters of the war against Tigray. We are against ant state violence against citizens. The Liyu Police has not grown uot of being an instrument of oppression for Addis Ababa” said a civil society member in Jigjiga who spoke to Puntland Post correspondent on the condition of anonymity.
© Puntland Post, 2020
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