17.02.2018 - 05:35 [ Press TV ]

Ethiopia declares state of emergency

Ethiopia announced a state of emergency on Friday after Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn on Thursday announced his intention to step down amid a political crisis in the Horn of Africa country.

The ruling EPRDF coalition‘s council met on Friday and decided to impose emergency rule, the state-run Ethiopian Broadcasting Corporation said. The announcement did not say how long the rule would be in place.

The council „came to the conclusion that imposing emergency rule would be vital to safeguarding the constitutional order of our country“, it said. Further details are expected to be given by the defense minister on Saturday morning.