Ethiopia Accuses 3 Countries of Supporting Coalition Declared by 7 Armed Groups Against Abiy

Addis Ababa (Caasimada Online) — The commander of the Ethiopian forces, Field Marshal Birhanu Jula, has accused Egypt and Sudan of supporting a new alliance formed by armed groups seeking to overthrow Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, as heavy fighting has erupted again in the north of the country.

Birhanu stated that the groups opposing the federal government would not be able to achieve their goals without external "pushing, supporting, and supplying," specifically pointing fingers at Egypt and Sudan.

He also accused Eritrea of being the link between foreign governments and the armed groups fighting inside Ethiopia.

The Ethiopian military commander did not present independent evidence to support these accusations, while Egypt and Sudan have not officially responded to his remarks. Eritrea has previously denied Addis Ababa's accusations of supporting armed groups in Ethiopia.

Birhanu's remarks come a week after seven armed and political organizations announced a new alliance called the Ethiopian Peoples’ Forces Alliance for Survival, which stated that its goal is to remove Abiy Ahmed's government and replace it with a transitional administration.

The alliance includes the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF), Oromo Liberation Army, ONLF, and Amhara Fano National Movement — some of which have fought on opposing sides during the Ethiopian conflict from 2020 to 2022.

The formation of this alliance indicates a significant change in the political and military alliances of Ethiopia. The TPLF and Fano forces were previously enemies, but now they are united by their opposition to the government of Abiy Ahmed.

Renewed conflict in the north

Accusations against the military commander also come at a time when the conflict in northern Ethiopia has entered a new phase.

The Tigray forces have taken control of airports in the Tigray region this week, and battles with federal forces have been reported in areas of Afar and Amhara.

The parties have accused each other of starting the conflict, with the federal government and TPLF providing conflicting reports about who initiated the attacks that led to the new clashes.

The situation has raised fears that Ethiopia may return to a large-scale war similar to that of 2020-2022, which resulted in the deaths of hundreds of thousands of people.

The UN human rights chief Volker Türk stated on Friday that he is "deeply concerned" about the escalating fighting, urging the Ethiopian government, TPLF, and their allies to urgently de-escalate the tensions and avoid a return to full-scale war.

The dispute between Egypt and the Nile dam

The new accusations from Ethiopia against Egypt come as the two countries have once again clashed over the massive Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) built on the Blue Nile.

The Egyptian Minister of Water Resources Hani Sewilam stated last week that Ethiopian officials need to understand that building a dam on a shared river is not the same as "putting a roof over your house."

He rejected Ethiopia's position that matters related to the dam are fully within its national sovereignty, insisting that the use of a river shared by multiple countries has international regulations.

The Ethiopian Ministry of Water and Energy responded sharply two days later, describing the Egyptian minister's remarks as reflecting a "harsh colonial mindset."

Addis Ababa stated that Cairo acts as if its approval is required from upstream Nile countries before they can use the river's water.

Egypt and Sudan have long demanded a legally binding agreement that defines how the GERD is managed, especially during prolonged droughts, and the data regarding the water released from the dam.

Ethiopia, on its part, insists that the project is crucial for its electricity generation and economic development, and that it will not cause significant harm to the downstream countries.

Addis Ababa officially launched the GERD on September 9, 2025, without yet reaching a legally binding agreement with Egypt and Sudan.

The Relationship between Sudan and Eritrea

The relationship between Ethiopia and Sudan has also deteriorated in recent months.

In May, the Sudanese forces accused Ethiopia and the United Arab Emirates of being involved in drone attacks on Khartoum airport and other locations.

Khartoum stated that some of those drones were launched from the Bahir Dar airport in Ethiopia. Ethiopia described the accusation as “baseless,” instead accusing Sudan of providing weapons and funding to fighters linked to the TPLF. The allegations from both sides have not been independently verified.

On the Eritrean side, its forces were supporting the Abiy Ahmed government during the Tigray war from 2020 to 2022, but the relationship between Addis Ababa and Asmara has significantly deteriorated following the Pretoria agreement that ended the war.

The tensions between the two countries later escalated as disputes related to regional security and Ethiopia's efforts to secure a route to the Red Sea emerged.

The Ethiopian government is now accusing Eritrea of providing financial and other support to members of the new coalition opposing Abiy Ahmed, an accusation that Asmara has repeatedly denied.