The Ethiopian parliament voted to dissolve the local government in the federal region of Tigray on Saturday and to appoint a new local government after Addis Ababa had launched a military operation in the region.
Fears are mounting that a civil war may erupt after Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed deployed federal forces to the region with which the government has entered into a severe conflict.
Abiy Friday pledged to launch airstrikes on the Tigray region and defended his decision of the need to launch a limited military operation to restore order in the region.
On Saturday, Parliament issued a decision to dissolve the local parliament in the region and form an interim administration, according to the Ethiopian Broadcasting Corporation.
The parliament’s decision was based on a legal clause allowing the federal government to intervene in regions that it deems "violated the constitution and pose a threat to the constitutional order."
The radio said that "the caretaker administration will be given the authority to hold elections and implement decisions made by the federal government."
It is noteworthy that the Tigray People's Liberation Front dominated political life in Ethiopia for nearly three decades before Abiy came to power in 2018, carried on popular protests against the government.
Tigrayans make up no more than 6 percent of Ethiopia's population of 100 million.
District leaders have complained that they have been unfairly targeted with trials on corruption charges, they have been sacked from their posts and taken as scapegoats for the problems the country faces.
The hostility developed after the Tigray region held local elections in September, challenging Addis Ababa’s government, which decided to postpone the national elections due to the novel coronavirus pandemic.
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