Ethiopia's government and the party in control of the northern region of Tigray have accused each other of launching offensives, escalating fears of a return to full-scale conflict. The two-year war in Tigray ended in 2022, but over recent months both sides have been accusing each other of violating a peace deal. Getachew Reda, a cabinet minister and adviser to Ethiopia's prime minister, said Tigrayan fighters had taken control of federally administered airports in Tigray and launched offensives in neighbouring Afar and Amhara regions.
The Tigrayan authorities said their forces had been forced to enter a "defensive war" following reports of drone strikes in Tigray. The statement was made after Ethiopian President Taye Astike Selassie addressed the UN General Assembly, where he said his country had shown "immense restraint" in its actions despite "interference in our internal affairs by adversarial elements". He urged forces of destruction to respect the right of the people of the Horn of Africa to live in peace and prosperity.
The conflict in Tigray was one of the most deadly this century, with an estimated 600,000 people killed as the fighting drove the region to the precipice of famine. The African Union's mediator made the estimate. On Sunday, the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF), the party that runs Tigray, announced an alliance with six other armed groups in Ethiopia to remove the government in Addis Ababa.
Getachew Reda said the TPLF leadership launched an all-out offensive against government positions in Afar and Amhara. He shared the statement on social media, saying it was heartbreaking to learn that despite efforts to avoid another round of war, the TPLF had taken this step. Following the seizure of the airports, Ethiopian Airlines has cancelled all flights to Tigray.
Residents of Tigray's main city of Mekelle reported that local forces had taken over control of the city's airport from the national police. This followed reports of drone strikes in Tigray in recent days. The chairperson of the Africa Union Commission, Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, has called for an "immediate de-escalation" and for both sides to resume talks.
The US ambassador to Ethiopia condemned the TPLF for making "the poor decision to launch a large-scale offensive", describing it as an "unwinnable fight". A strike in the southern town of Alamata killed at least 14 people and injured 22 others, according to the Tigrayan authorities. The town's mayor, Mogos Shiferaw, reported that more than five drones and one fighter jet carried out over 21 strikes.
Mogos Shiferaw said the strike caused a lot of psychological trauma in the city and the people were in a state of panic. He accused federal forces of targeting two secondary schools, believing they were struck on suspicion that they were hiding TPLF fighters. The incident has raised concerns about the humanitarian situation in the region and the need for an immediate de-escalation of the conflict.
Key points
- The conflict in Tigray has resulted in an estimated 600,000 deaths and driven the region to the precipice of famine.
- The TPLF has announced an alliance with six other armed groups in Ethiopia to remove the government in Addis Ababa.
- The US ambassador to Ethiopia has condemned the TPLF for launching a large-scale offensive, describing it as an "unwinnable fight".
