Ethiopia warns U.S. to stop spreading fake news on Tigrayan war

Ethiopia’s government has warned the United States to stop spreading falsehoods against the country, the state minister of communication, Kebede Dessisa said on Thursday.

The minister spoke after the U.S. State Department issued an alert about potential “terrorist attacks”.

Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s government and rebellious forces from the Tigray region in the north have been fighting for more than a year, in a conflict that has killed thousands and displaced millions in Africa’s second most populous nation.

This week the Irish government said Ethiopia had expelled four of six Irish diplomats because of Ireland’s stance on the conflict.

Ethiopian government spokespeople have also warned against unnamed external threats and criticised Western governments for what they say is inaccurate coverage of the war.

Kebede Dessisa, the state minister, said the U.S. government should refrain from disseminating “shameful fake news and defamation regarding Ethiopia,” state broadcaster EBC reported.

He referred to a U.S. embassy statement on Tuesday that urged its citizens to maintain a high level of vigilance due to “the ongoing possibility of terrorist attacks in Ethiopia.”

Earlier this month, tens of thousands of Ethiopians rallied in the capital to denounce the United States for alleged interference in Ethiopia’s internal affairs.

On Thursday, dozens of protesters took their anger to the U.S. embassy in the city, where they displayed banners saying “Interference is Undemocratic” and “Truth Wins”.