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Kenya: Blinken Decries Military Escalation in Ethiopia in Phone Call With Kenyatta

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Nairobi — The United States (US) Secretary of State Antony Blinken has expressed concern about the signs of military escalation in Ethiopia in a phone call with President Uhuru Kenyatta on Friday.

Ethiopian forces are currently engaged in a fight with the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF), which is backed by the Oromo Liberation Army (OLA).

The State Department’s Spokesperson Ned Price said in a statement that Blinken emphasized the need for urgent negotiations to arrest the situation.

“Secretary Blinken expressed grave concern about worrying signs of military escalation in Ethiopia and emphasized the need to urgently move to negotiations,” said Price.

Blinken’s statement dated November 26 came a few days after reports emerged that Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed had joined the front line in the battle against regional forces from Tigray who recently warned that they will be advancing to Addis Ababa.

President Kenyatta and Blinken agreed on the importance of unhindered humanitarian access for all communities affected by the conflict and reiterated their support for an inclusive political dialogue.

The ongoing conflict has prompted the international community to advise their citizens to leave the country for the sake of their safety.

Despite continuous calls for ceasefire between the warrying parties, both sides have remained adamant in the war that has displaced hundreds of thousands and killed thousands.

The United States and Kenya pressed for a ceasefire in Ethiopia during Blinken’s three-nation tour of Africa in November. Blinked was in Nairobi on November 17-18.