Facebook has removed a post on Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s page for violating its policies against inciting violence.
The message on Sunday called on citizens to use “any type of weapon” to reverse advances by the rebel Tigray People’s Liberation Front on the capital, Addis Ababa.
“We were made aware of a post by Ethiopia’s prime minister and removed this for violating our policies against inciting and supporting violence,” a spokesman for the rebranded Meta Platforms said in an e-mailed response to questions.
“At Meta, we remove content from individuals or organisations that violates our community standards, no matter who they are.”
Ethiopia’s government declared a nationwide state of emergency on Tuesday and said residents of the capital should defend their neighbourhoods.
The TPLF and the Oromo Liberation Army have captured the key towns of Dessie and Kombolcha on the way to the capital, and on Wednesday claimed to have taken another, Kemise, just 320 north of Addis Ababa. — Reported by Samuel Gebre, (c) 2021 Bloomberg LP