Ethiopia: Alliance for Survival Rejects Rubio’s Characterization of Ethiopia’s Conflict As Separatist, Terrorist
Addis Abeba — The Ethiopian Peoples’ Forces Alliance for Survival (Alliance for Survival), a coalition of armed and political groups opposing the federal government, has rejected remarks by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio characterizing aspects of Ethiopia’s conflict as separatist and terrorist, calling on Washington to adopt what it described as a balanced approach to the conflict.
In a statement issued on 18 October, the alliance said its military operations were not driven by separatist objectives or intended to fragment the country. Instead, it described its actions as self-defense after what it called the government’s rejection of efforts to achieve a peaceful resolution, including through the November 2022 Pretoria Agreement.
The alliance said its stated objective was to facilitate an inclusive democratic transition, restore peace and stability, and allow Ethiopians to determine the country’s political future.
It also rejected the characterization of its attacks on government military installations as terrorism, arguing that such descriptions misrepresented the conflict. The alliance accused government forces of using more advanced weapons against both military targets and densely populated civilian areas in territories under its control. Addis Standard could not independently verify the allegations.
The statement warned that such characterizations could encourage the government to continue its military campaign and undermine efforts to resolve the conflict peacefully.
The alliance urged the United States to adopt what it called a balanced and constructive position to support a lasting peace in Ethiopia.
The statement follows Rubio’s remarks on the conflict in Ethiopia during an interview with C-SPAN.
The Alliance for Survival brings together several armed and political groups opposed to the federal government, including the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF), the Oromo Liberation Army (OLA), the Amhara Fano National Movement (AFNM), and other groups from different regions. Its formation was announced in September amid renewed fighting in northern Ethiopia.
Rubio’s remarks come amid continued clashes between federal government forces and armed groups affiliated with the Alliance for Survival across multiple fronts in northern Ethiopia and other parts of the country.
On 24 September 2026, Addis Standard reported that the European Union had expressed concern over the formation of a new coalition of Ethiopian opposition and armed groups, warning of a deteriorating security situation in northern Ethiopia and its impact on civilians.
The EU said it was “deeply concerned by the rapidly deteriorating situation in Northern Ethiopia and its impact on the population,” citing reports of military activity across multiple localities. It called for “immediate de-escalation” and urged the parties to recommit to the November 2022 Permanent Cessation of Hostilities Agreement, signed in Pretoria between the federal government and the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF).
The EU stressed that differences between the parties could “only be resolved through dialogue and not military action” and called for compliance with international humanitarian law, emphasizing the obligation to protect civilians and safeguard the impartiality and independence of humanitarian operations.
The coalition, initially announced as the Ethiopian Peoples’ Forces Coalition for Survival, was formally unveiled on 20 September in a statement read live on Tigrai TV by Zemene Kassie, chairman of the Amhara Fano National Movement (AFNM). Seven opposition and armed groups declared a shared objective of removing the Prosperity Party-led government and establishing an inclusive transitional administration.
The coalition comprises the AFNM, the Oromo Liberation Army (OLA), the TPLF, the Ogaden National Liberation Front (ONLF), the Afar National Unity Revolutionary Front, the Benishangul Peoples’ Liberation Movement, and the Gumuz Peoples’ Democratic Movement.
The announcement followed months of reported efforts to coordinate opposition groups across regional and political lines. In August, Zemene said agreements had been reached with several armed opposition groups to establish a broader alliance aimed at the “fall of Abiy Ahmed.” The September announcement gave the emerging alignment a formal name and publicly stated its political objectives.
By Addis Standard.
