ADDIS ABABA: Ethiopia staged a massive rally on Sunday in Addis Ababa to rail against the United States imposing restrictions on economic and security assistance over the conflict in the Tigray region.

Demonstrators packed a stadium in the capital for the pro-government rally, chanting against the US sanctions and waving posters accusing foreign powers of interfering in Ethiopia’s sovereignty. “Ethiopia does not need (a) caretaker,” declared one banner at Addis Ababa Stadium, while others denounced “western intervention”.

“We will not submit,” Adanech Abiebe, the mayor of Addis Ababa, told the thousands in attendance, according to the state-owned Ethiopian Broadcasting Corporation.

“The US and its allies have to stop and consider the wisdom, as well as correct the preconditions, they have imposed on our internal affairs.” The rally, and smaller ones elsewhere in Ethiopia, was organised by the Ministry of Women, Children and Youth under the banner “Our voice for freedom and sovereignty”.

Ministry officials had earlier predicted that more than one million would attend nationwide, with 100,000 at Addis Ababa alone.