Ethiopia's army commander, Field Marshal Birhanu Jula, has accused Eritrea and Sudan of backing armed groups fighting against the government's troops in the north. The accusations come as heavy clashes have resumed between the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF) and the federal government since Wednesday. The renewed violence has raised concerns of a return to the 2020-2022 civil war, which resulted in an estimated 600,000 deaths. The TPLF has seized airports and launched attacks into neighboring states, saying they are engaged in a "defensive war" against the government.
The humanitarian situation is deteriorating, with at least 150,000 people displaced in the Afar region, according to a humanitarian source. The source also reported that the Afar town of Erebti, near the border with Tigray, fell to the rebels on Sunday after being pounded by heavy artillery. The TPLF is now advancing towards the town of Afdeera, some 100 kilometers to the east. The conflict has also affected communication services, with major disruptions to phone and internet services in Tigray, making reporting on the conflict challenging.
The TPLF has allied with seven armed groups around the country and appears to be repeating a strategy from the last war of pushing south through Amhara towards Addis Ababa. Its offensive in Afar aims to cut supplies from Djibouti, which provides almost all of Ethiopia's international trade cargo, including fuel. The group's actions have prompted concerns from the international community, with United Nations chief Antonio Guterres raising the alarm on Friday.
The federal government in Addis Ababa has taken measures to restrict the TPLF's media presence, suspending Tigrai TV indefinitely and banning other outlets from broadcasting its reports. The station's headquarters was hit by a drone on Sunday, causing damage and leaving it off-air. No reports of casualties were immediately available. The government has a significant military advantage, with a large arsenal of drones, some 500,000 troops, and support from abroad.
The conflict has the potential to draw in neighboring Eritrea, which fears landlocked Ethiopia has been planning to invade and seize a direct point of access to the Red Sea. Eritrea has a history with Ethiopia, having supported the TPLF during the civil war. The Pretoria Peace Agreement of 2022, brokered by African institutions and Washington, maintained an uneasy calm until last year but was never fully implemented.
The renewed conflict has sparked concerns of human rights abuses, with rights groups accusing the TPLF of a campaign of forced recruitment this year as it prepared for renewed conflict. The international community is watching closely, with Guterres' spokesman saying the UN chief is "particularly troubled by reports of the use of drones as well as incidents of harm to civilians".
The situation remains volatile, with sporadic clashes resuming in recent months and massing troops at the border. The federal forces have launched multiple drone strikes in Tigray, and the conflict could escalate further if not addressed. The international community is urged to intervene and prevent a return to the devastating civil war that ravaged the country from 2020 to 2022.
Key points
- Ethiopia's army commander accuses Eritrea and Sudan of backing Tigray rebels.
- Clashes resume between TPLF and federal government, sparking fears of civil war.
- International community raises concerns over humanitarian situation and human rights abuses.
