Ethiopia orders emergency as Tigray forces threaten capital

NAIROBI, Kenya — Ethiopia’s government declared a national state of emergency Tuesday as rival Tigray forces threaten to move on the capital and the country’s yearlong war escalates quickly. The United States said security has “deteriorated significantly,” and it strongly warned its citizens to consider leaving.

The emergency declaration by Ethiopia’s Council of Ministers was the clearest sign of alarm yet from the government of Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, who a year ago this week allowed soldiers from a neighboring country to invade the Tigray region and pursue the Tigray forces alongside Ethiopian troops. Thousands of people have been killed since then.

The Tigray forces and their allies pose a “grave and imminent danger” to the country’s existence, the council’s declaration said.

The U.S. has warned the Tigray forces, who long dominated the national government before Abiy took office, against any attempt to “besiege” the capital, Addis Ababa, after seizing control in recent days of the strategic cities of Dessie and Kombolcha. That positions them to move down a major highway toward the capital.

The state of emergency takes effect immediately and will last for six months. The government can impose a curfew, order citizens into military training, disrupt transport services and travel, suspend licenses of media outlets and detain indefinitely anyone suspected of having links with a terrorist group.

Local administrations in some areas could be disbanded and a military leadership could be installed. Unauthorized public gatherings and any expression of opposition to the state of emergency are banned.