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Ethiopian civil war adds to uncertainty, tension over Nile Dam dispute

The political tension that was born in Ethiopia after a number of ethnic nationalities forged an alliance to topple the Abiy Ahmed government is raising many questions about the fate of the regional conflict over the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam.

A woman holds a banner with the portrait of Primer Minister Abiy Ahmed during a rally in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, on Nov. 7, 2021.
A woman holds a banner with the portrait of Primer Minister Abiy Ahmed during a rally in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, on Nov. 7, 2021, in support of the national defense forces. Five days after the government declared a state of emergency throughout the country, tens of thousands of Ethiopians vowed at a pro-government rally in Addis Ababa on Nov. 7 to defend the capital against Tigrayan rebels and denounced diplomatic efforts to end the conflict in the north of the country. — EDUARDO SOTERAS/AFP via Getty Images

CAIRO — Nine ethnic groups formed a united front Nov. 5 to overthrow Ethiopia's Abiy Ahmed government in what raises questions about the possible scenarios that could unfold, as internal tensions linger due to the regional conflict between Ethiopia on the one hand and Egypt and Sudan on the other over the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD).

The conflict, which started a year ago between Ahmed’s regime in Ethiopia and the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF), turned into a direct clash after other rebel fronts joined the TPLF in order to bring down Ahmed. The TPLF fighters and the Oromo Liberation Army are now stationed dozens of kilometers from the capital, Addis Ababa, which puts Ahmed’s regime in a political and security stalemate as the government tries to harness all financial and military capabilities to keep things under its control.

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