By Maggie Fick

NAIROBI, Reuters – On Friday nine anti-government groups in Ethiopia will join forces to form an alliance. Two of these organizations were named in an announcement Reuters saw. This comes as Prime Minister Abiy Ahmad is under increasing pressure and rebel forces are making advance towards the capital.

The Oromo Liberation Army and Agaw Democratic Movement, two of these groups confirmed to Reuters that the announcement was true.

Many of these groups had armed fighters, but it wasn’t clear whether all did.

Billene Seyoum (Abiy’s spokesperson) was asked by Reuters about the anti-government alliance. She referred Reuters on a tweet she had posted to Twitter (NYSE:). In it, she defended Abiy’s rule since he took office in 2018, following a series of protests against government. In June, his party won a second term.

Seyoum stated in the blog, “The opening of the political space three year ago gave ample opportunity for contenders in June 2021 to settle their differences at a ballot box.”

Her reference was not to the alliance.

The foreign ministry and government spokespeople did not reply to inquiries for comment about the alliance.

African and Western nations demanded an immediate ceasefire in Ethiopia on Thursday after Tigrayan forces claimed that they advanced toward the capital city this week.

Jeffrey Feltman (U.S. Special Envoy for the Horn of Africa) visited Addis Ababa during a two day visit.

According to the State Department, he met with Moussa Faki (Chairperson African Union Commission), as well as the Ethiopian defense minister, finance minister, and deputy prime Minister.

It wasn’t clear whether Abiy would be meeting the U.S. diplomat. He spokesperson stated that she didn’t have information.

The new alliance, called the United Front of Ethiopian Federalist and Confederalist Forces, includes the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF), which has been fighting Abiy’s government for a year in a war that has killed thousands of people and forced more than two million more from their homes.

Getachew Reda, spokesperson for TPLF, did not reply to comments on Friday.

According to the announcement, Friday will see the groups hold a signing ceremony in Washington.

According to the groups, this front was formed in order to reverse the negative effects that Abiy’s regime had on the Ethiopian people.