Deputy Defense Force Chief remark came as authorities in Tigray region vow to defy Ethiopia’s Federal government power after September 30Deputy Chief of Staff Berhanu Jula (Photo : ENA-resized)borkenaSeptember 25, 2020As authorities in the Tigray region of Ethiopia announced that the mandate of Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s government comes to an end on September 30, the deputy chief of staff of the Ethiopian Defense Force Berhanu Jula warns that the defense force will take action against any entity trying to impose its will by force. The defense force will stand in the guard of the constitution, he said. The reason why the defense force had to be involved in law enforcement as it relates to the banknote changes is unclear. Last week, Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed said that the Defense force will confiscate illegal cash (cash in the amount of 1.5 million Ethiopian birr is considered as illegal according to recent regulation by the Ethiopian government), and use it to strengthen the Defense Force as an institution. He was critical of those whom he said are tarnishing the image of the defense force, but he did not name names.

Source: Ethiopian News September 25, 2020 08:48 UTC