Ethiopia’s armed opposition unites against Abiy Ahmed: 5 reads on the country’s political struggles

Seven Ethiopian armed groups have announced a new alliance aimed at overthrowing the government of Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed .

The so-called Ethiopian Peoples’ Forces Alliance for Survival was unveiled in September 2026.

It arrives at a time when Abiy is grappling with armed conflict and deepening political and ethnic divisions.

There is fighting in the Amhara region between federal forces and local insurgents.

Meanwhile, rising tensions in Tigray have sparked fears of renewed war .

These are only two flashpoints in a sea of political divisions that war, elections and national dialogue have so far failed to heal.

The Conversation Africa has published extensively on Ethiopia’s attempts to hold the country together.

Here are five essential reads.

National dialogue struggles to bridge the divide Ethiopia launched a national dialogue process in 2022 after a stop to a two-year war in Tigray .

The process aims to address the grievances that have led to decades of political instability and violence.

Some political actors have been left out of the process, however.

They include armed groups like the Oromo Liberation Army, the Tigray People’s Liberation Front and the Amhara Fano.

Yet they are central to ongoing conflicts.

They have now become part of the alliance of seven groups against Abiy’s government.