Addis Ababa, August 9, 2026 (FMC) — Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed has described the latest alignment between the OLA-Shene terrorist group and other hostile forces across Ethiopia as a desperate attempt by actors that have failed to achieve their political objectives independently to forge an “unholy alliance” against the country.
In a comprehensive media engagement aired on FMC platforms from his interview with the Oromia Broadcasting Network (OBN), the Prime Minister said the OLA-Shene group, which has long pursued its agenda through armed violence, is now seeking partnerships with groups and forces it previously opposed, exposing what he characterized as the strategic bankruptcy of its violent political project.
Prime Minister Abiy explained that the security challenges witnessed in Oromia and other parts of Ethiopia have multiple underlying causes, including the struggle over political power during the country’s transition toward a more inclusive political system, irreconcilable hostile narratives and attempts by some actors to seize power through force.
He said the political transition has opened space for competing political forces to pursue their interests through peaceful political participation, dialogue and the rule of law. Yet, some groups have continued to pursue armed confrontation rather than adapt to the changing political environment.
Against this backdrop, the Prime Minister pointed to the changing alignments among armed and hostile actors as evidence of their increasingly desperate search for leverage.
He said the OLA-Shene group, which had previously opposed cooperation with forces from other parts of the country and portrayed such alliances as compromising its stated interests, has now moved toward cooperation with elements in the Amhara and Tigray regions that it once regarded as adversaries.
The Prime Minister said the emerging alignment reflects a common calculation among groups that cannot independently achieve their objectives: forces that have failed to prevail on their own are now seeking one another out in an effort to build a stronger counter-force against the federal government.
He further said these actors are also seeking links with external forces hostile to Ethiopia, portraying the expanding network as an attempt to combine domestic armed groups and outside support in order to generate instability and challenge the country’s political order.
Prime Minister Abiy characterized the OLA-Shene’s approach as fundamentally outdated, saying the group has failed to adjust its thinking and leadership to contemporary political realities and remains committed to an armed path that cannot deliver political power.
He stressed that political authority in Ethiopia can only be secured through the peaceful participation of citizens and democratic processes, pointing to the country’s recent general election as a clear demonstration of the public’s rejection of violence as a means of obtaining political power.
The Prime Minister said the Ethiopian people have demonstrated through their participation in the election that political power belongs to citizens and must be determined through their will, rather than imposed by armed groups.
He also reiterated that the government’s door remains open to any group or actor prepared to pursue political demands through peaceful means and dialogue.
The Prime Minister’s remarks come as the government continues to emphasize dialogue, inclusive political participation and the rule of law as the path toward resolving Ethiopia’s political and security challenges, while rejecting attempts to obtain power through armed violence.
He expressed confidence that efforts by hostile forces to coordinate their activities and destabilize the country would ultimately fail, saying Ethiopia would continue moving toward a stable environment in which citizens can pursue peace, development and their livelihoods.