Ethiopia’s army chief vows restraint as fighting spreads beyond Tigray

Army Chief of Staff Field Marshal Berhanu Jula said the military is answering Tigray-front provocations with restraint and accused Eritrea of funding armed groups, including via the “Tsimdo” alliance; Eritrea denied it. After seven groups formed the Ethiopian Peoples’ Forces Alliance for Survival to remove Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s government, fighting spread into Afar (around Abala) and Amhara. In North Wollo the army said Thursday it killed 272 Tigrayan fighters and wounded 260 in a counter-offensive.