Retired long-distance Ethiopian athlete Haile Gebrselassie has announced plans to join Ethiopia’s army in its ongoing fight against the Tigray Liberation Front (TPLF).
This comes after Ethiopia’s Prime Minister, Abiy Ahmed, on Monday said he would personally take command of the country’s armed forces and lead them into battle, with TPLF rebels inching closer towards Addis Ababa with each passing day.
BBC reports that photographs of Ahmed clad in combat fatigues, on his way to the war front, are already doing rounds on social media, but the London-based broadcaster has not confirmed if the PM has joined the war zone.
Governments such as the United States, France and Turkey have already instructed their citizens to flee the country with TPLF confirming that they are gunning to topple Addis Ababa.
Efforts by African Union (AU) envoys to end the year-long war have also hit a standstill.
The fighting in the Northern region of Tigray began in November 2020 after PM Ahmed ordered an attack on TPLF after they allegedly targeted Ethiopian military bases in the area.
The TPLF has however dismissed the claims and retaliated instead.
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