The Ethiopian National Electoral Board has announced the indefinite suspension of voting in three regional states citing systemic security failures. The decision affects polling centres in Amhara, Oromia, and Sidama, where a surge in inter-communal violence and insurgent activity had made ballot access untenable. Electoral officials confirmed that 547 stations in Amhara alone remain offline, with similar disruptions in Oromia, where Oromo Liberation Army fighters have targeted convoys and registration sites.
The suspension follows a week of escalating clashes between federal security forces and armed groups in the country’s northern and central highlands. Opposition parties have condemned the move as a politically motivated suppression of voter turnout, while the government insists it is a temporary measure to protect electoral integrity. No new date has been set for the affected polls.
