Ethiopia confirmed on Friday that it would have to take strict measures against foreign embassies that have urged their citizens to leave the country amid rumors about the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF) besieging the capital, Addis Ababa. A statement from the government communications office indicated that some foreign media outlets are spreading misleading information through false reports about the capture of certain cities by the TPLF, which seeks to instill doubt and fear among the leadership, the people, and the national army, and that such behavior must cease.
The statement noted that some employees of foreign organizations are disseminating false information about government officials requesting visas to sow suspicion among the public and the national army, and they must stop or else the Ethiopian government will take punitive action against them. The statement called on the Ethiopian people to stand against what the country is facing, emphasizing that they must continue to work together to close the door on the false rumors spread by destructive forces and their allies.
#### Declaration of a State of Emergency
Earlier, the Ethiopian parliament unanimously voted to impose a state of emergency in the country after rebel forces from the northern Tigray region claimed territorial gains to the south earlier this week and threatened to advance on the capital. This announcement followed a call from Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Ali for citizens to take up arms to defend themselves against the TPLF. Authorities in Addis Ababa have asked residents to register their weapons and prepare defenses in anticipation of the Tigray forces' advance.
The conflict erupted on the night of November 3, 2020, when TPLF-aligned forces, including some soldiers, seized military bases in the northern Tigray region.
