Seven Ethiopian armed groups form anti-government alliance

Seven Ethiopian armed groups announced the formation of a new coalition, the Ethiopian Peoples’ Forces Alliance for Survival, late on Sunday, September 20, 2026. The alliance aims to overthrow the government of Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed. The coalition is geographically and ethnically diverse, representing regions ranging from Tigray in the north to the Somali Region in the south.

The alliance includes groups that were previously on opposing sides of the 2020-2022 civil war, such as the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) and the Amhara Fano National Movement. During that conflict, Fano militias fought alongside the federal government against the TPLF. Since 2023, however, Fano has engaged in its own armed conflict against the federal government, a struggle that has resulted in thousands of deaths.

Despite their shared objective, the member groups maintain existing disagreements regarding territory and other issues. The formation of this coalition has raised concerns regarding the potential for an expanding war within the country, as many of the groups have accused the federal government of centralizing power.

A spokesperson for Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, Billene Seyoum, stated on Monday that the government had been aware of the groups' collaboration for some time. She alleged that the alliance is receiving financial backing from Eritrea, a neighboring country and historic adversary of Ethiopia. The Eritrean information minister did not immediately respond to requests for comment, and Asmara has previously denied similar accusations of interference.

Prior to the formal announcement, an adviser to the Prime Minister had dismissed the possibility of such a coalition successfully overthrowing the federal government, characterizing any such effort as an attempt to wreak havoc. The government maintains that the recent announcement serves as confirmation of its long-standing allegations regarding the activities of these armed groups.