Ethiopia’s Afar region called Friday on civilians to take up arms against rebels from neighbouring Tigray, signalling a potential escalation in fighting that has already displaced tens of thousands this week.
“Every Afar should protect their land with any means available, whether by guns, sticks or stones,” regional president Awol Arba said in an interview aired by regional state media.
“No weapons can make us kneel down. We will win this war with our strong determination.”
Tigrayan rebels launched operations in Afar last weekend, saying they were targeting pro-government troops massing along the two regions’ shared border.