After troops in Tigray Province, in the north of the country, fighting the central government since, indicated that they might be marching towards the city, Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa authorities called on residents to prepare to defend the neighbourhoods in which they live.

In a statement published by the Ethiopian News Agency, the Addis Ababa administration said that residents must extract licences to carry their weapons and gather in residential neighbourhoods.

The statement went on to say, "Residents can gather in their places of residence and guard places near them... We advise those who possess weapons but cannot participate in guarding places near them to hand these weapons over to the Government or to their closest relatives or friends. "

This appeal was issued after the Tigray People's Liberation Front said that it had taken control of several towns in recent days and was looking to advance Addis Ababa, some 380 kilometres from its outposts.

The conflict broke out on the third night of November 2020 when forces loyal to the Tigray People's Liberation Front, including some soldiers, captured military bases in the northern province of Tigray. In response, Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed sent more troops to the area.

The Tigray People's Liberation Front dominated Ethiopia's political life for nearly three decades, but lost much of its influence when Abi Ahmed held office in 2018 after years of anti-government protests.

Relations with the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF) worsened after TPLF accused Abe of centrally governing the country at the expense of the Ethiopian states, and Abe denied the accusation.

It should be noted that the expanding war has destabilized the second largest-populated African States, which were considered to be a stable ally of the West in a troubled region.