Fresh fighting in Tigray raises fear of renewed Ethiopian war

Fresh fighting in Ethiopia’s northern Tigray region has raised fears that a brutal conflict that ended in 2022 could resume. Tigrayan forces have been patrolling Mekelle, the regional capital, while residents report panic buying and disruptions to internet and telephone services. Digital access to money has also been affected after ATMs stopped working months ago.

The escalation follows more than six months of worsening relations between the federal government and the Tigray People’s Liberation Front, which runs the region. Major clashes this week spread into neighbouring Afar and Amhara. The TPLF says it was responding to a federal offensive, including drone strikes.

The government says Tigrayan forces started the fighting after taking control of airports in Tigray. Neither account has been independently confirmed in the supplied material. The African Union-brokered Pretoria Agreement ended the previous war in November 2022, but key disputes remained.

The TPLF wants western Tigray returned and displaced residents allowed to go back. The government says the territory’s future should be decided by referendum. Addis Ababa also accuses the TPLF of failing to disarm fully.

Disputes over the region’s interim administration have further weakened government services, while the TPLF has formed an Alliance for Survival with six armed movements, including Amhara’s Fano militia and the Oromo Liberation Army. The government has criticised the alliance as an attempt to destabilise Ethiopia and accused Eritrea of backing armed groups, which Asmara denies. Tensions also surround Ethiopia’s demand for access to Eritrean ports.

The unresolved disputes and fresh clashes have left civilians fearing another major war.