FEARS of war and the possible break-up of Ethiopia were raised today as the northern Tigray region blocked a military appointment of Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s government.

The unnamed brigadier general is said to have flown north to Tigray on Thursday evening, but returned to the capital Addis Ababa after being told “his appointment would not be considered legitimate.”

Senior Tigray People’s Liberation Front official Getachew Reda said that “any appointment or troop movement” is “totally unacceptable.”