Turkiye welcomes lifting of state of emergency in Ethiopia

By Merve Aydogan

ANKARA (AA) - Turkiye's Foreign Ministry on Wednesday welcomed Ethiopian lawmakers' vote in favor of lifting the state of emergency in Ethiopia.

The six-month state of emergency was lifted two months after Tigray rebels retreated largely from the northern regions of Amhara and Afar, where they had made incursions.

"We welcome the decision of the Ethiopian Parliament yesterday approving the lifting of state of emergency in Ethiopia, which has been declared last November," said a statement by the Turkish ministry.

Turkiye considers "this decision as a right step towards achieving peace and stability in the country," the statement further said, hailing "deep-rooted ties with all parties in Ethiopia."

It further vowed to "continue to support all efforts towards achieving the social peace and stability that Ethiopia deserves."

Meanwhile, tens of thousands of people have been displaced over the past two weeks from localities in the northeastern region of Afar adjoining the Tigray state after the rebels launched fresh offensives and captured a number of districts.

The conflict between the Ethiopian government and the Tigray rebels started in November 2020 after the rebels attacked the army positions across Tigray, including the capital Mekele.