Ethiopia capital not facing bloodbath’, say rebels

Crowds rally for Army in Addis Ababa

Rebels fighting Ethiopia’s Government have played down reports that they would face a hostile population or cause a “bloodbath” if they advanced into Addis Ababa, even as tens of thousands joined a pro-military rally in the capital on Sunday.

Fighters from the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) and their allies have been locked in a year-long war with the government that has killed thousands and pushed many more into desperate conditions in the vast east African nation.

Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, winner of the 2019 Nobel Peace Prize, sent troops into Tigray in November last year to topple the TPLF, accusing them of attacking military bases. But the TPLF and their allies have claimed several victories in recent weeks, taking towns some 400 kilometres from the capital, and have not ruled out marching on Addis Ababa.