Self-Defense Alliance Responds to US Secretary of State

The newly formed 'Self-Defense Alliance' (Tumsi of Baraaruu) has rejected comments made by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio regarding the security situation in Ethiopia. In a recent statement, the alliance pushed back against Rubio’s characterization of a recent attack in Addis Ababa as 'terrorism.' According to the alliance, their military actions are not intended to dismantle the country but are acts of self-defense and efforts toward a democratic transition.

The alliance urged the US government to acknowledge that the Ethiopian government is using modern weaponry on civilian areas under their control. Additionally, 17 Oromo scholars have issued a call for a 'political transition' to resolve the ongoing political crisis in Ethiopia. The Oromo Liberation Army (OLA) has expressed support for this alliance, describing the coalition as a decisive first step toward finding solutions to Ethiopia's complex political challenges.