Ethiopia’s declaring a state of emergency in its Amhara region as local fighters clash with military

NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) — Ethiopia’s Council of Ministers is declaring a state of emergency in the country’s Amhara region after authorities pleaded for help as clashes intensify between regional forces and the military. The prime minister’s office announced the decision after the region’s leader said regular law enforcement was no longer able to contain the violence. Ethiopia’s second most populous region has been gripped by instability since April, when federal authorities moved to disarm Amhara’s security forces following the end of the devasting two-year war in the neighboring Tigray region. Authorities last year also tried to dismantle the informal Amhara militia known as Fano.