Ethiopia’s cabinet ministers have made plans to declare a state of emergency in the riotous Amhara region after days of violent clashes between local militias and the army.
This decision is coming a day after Amhara region’s head, Yilkal Kefale, had appealed for the federal government to intervene on the crisis, announcing that security in the region had become ardous to control within regular law enforcement mechanisms.
The local militias, popularly known as the Fano, have allegedly seized control of many towns and villages as well as some places in the bigger cities.
Airflights have been called off in at least two cities in the region, and the mobile data services have been shut off.
A statement released by the prime minister’s office had revealed that the constitutional order was under threat in the region, therefore a state of emergency decree was needed.
This decision however, still has to be approved by the parliament before it can take effect.
