Ethiopia PM urges civilians to join armed forces as war escalates

Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed on Tuesday urged all eligible citizens to join the Ethiopian National Defense Force (ENDF) and its allied regional forces and militias to fight against Tigrayan rebels.

The PM urged Ethiopian soldiers, regional special forces and militias to take strong military actions to destroy the "treachery internal and foreign powers."

It was not immediately clear which foreign powers the Ethiopian government was referring to.

However, some Ethiopian officials have been accusing western powers of double standards over the Tigray conflict.

On June 29, Addis Ababa officially accused the international community of responding with "dead silence" to belligerence by the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF).

"Clear double standards seem to be at play in the silence towards TPLF's harassment and overt belligerence" the Ethiopian Prime Minister’s spokesperson, Billen Seyoum, said at a press conference.

In Tuesday's statement, the Ethiopian government accused the Tigrayan rebel group of "colluding with internal and external enemies" to disintegrate the nation.

The national call comes as TPLF fighters continue to advance further deep in neighboring Amhara and Afar regions gaining territorial victories.

A few days ago, TPLF fighters taken control of the town of Lalibela, a major tourist destination town whose famed rock-hewn churches are a United Nations World Heritage Site.

After Lalibela fall to TPLF, the US government called on the Tigrayan fighters to protect the cultural heritage of the town.

Conflict in Ethiopia's northern Tigray region broke out last November after PM Abiy's government accused TPLF of carrying out attacks on a national army base in the region.

The government declared a unilateral ceasefire on June 28 after Tigrayan forces recaptured Mekelle, the regional capital.

The Ethiopian government has repeatedly ruled out dialogue with the group saying it will not negotiate with a terrorist group.

Last week, the Ethiopian government rejected planned efforts by neighboring Sudan to mediate Tigrayan rebels with the central government saying Khartoum does not have credibility - one of the key issues to mediate the government with the TPLF.

"The relationship with Sudan at this point is a little bit tricky because the level of trust with some leaders has already been eroded particularly with the Sudanese army incursion into Ethiopian territory" Ethiopian prime minister spokesperson Billene Seyoum said.

"Trust is the basis of any negotiation, and mediation as well, so that element needs to be thoroughly addressed before Sudan could be entertained as a credible party in terms of facilitating such kind of negotiations" she added.

According to UN figures, currently some 4 million people in Tigray, Amhara, and Afar are facing emergency or crisis levels of food insecurity,