Africa Business Radio

Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed says foreign forces have fought alongside Tigrayan rebels in recent battles in strategically important areas in Amhara region.He says fighters who are not Ethiopian have taken part in the recent battles around the two cities.Mr Abiy says the government's calls to arms from a few months ago had not been met with the proper organisation despite the massive number of youths who had joined.He accused the Tigrayan rebels of wanting to return to power to implement a policy in which members of one group are treated as first-class citizens.He also repeated an earlier statement from the government that rebel forces had killed more than 100 civilians in Kombolcha, which the Tigrayan forces have denied.