Heavy fighting has erupted in Ethiopia's northern Tigray region, with at least 52 civilians killed in three days of clashes around Alamata. Hospital sources have confirmed the death toll to the BBC. The fighting appears to have resulted in government troops taking control of the town from regional fighters, with intentions to push north towards Mekelle, the region's main city. Social media footage shows army tanks on Alamata's streets.
The clashes broke out last week after months of tension between the government and the party that controls Tigray, with both accusing each other of violating a 2022 deal that ended a two-year civil war. The conflict has also affected neighbouring regions, with 33 tourists stranded in Lalibela, a Unesco world heritage site. The tourists have been unable to leave since the airport closed to commercial flights last Wednesday.
A British tourist, who wished to remain anonymous, told the BBC's Newsday programme that there had been intense fighting near Lalibela in the Amhara region. The tourist described hearing gunfire and artillery cannons firing throughout the week, and noted a large military presence in Lalibela. The town is famous for its 13th Century churches hewn from rock and is a holy site for millions of Orthodox Christians.
Most visitors to Lalibela have been unable to leave, although 14 Israeli tourists were evacuated by military helicopter on Monday. The fighting around Lalibela has involved the army and an Amhara militia that has allied with Tigrayan fighters. The militia recently joined forces with other Ethiopian armed movements to form a seven-member alliance with the stated intention of removing the government in Addis Ababa.
There are concerns that neighbouring Eritrea could be drawn into the conflict, as the government accuses Asmara of supporting the armed groups, a claim Eritrea denies. The BBC is currently unable to report from Tigray and surrounding areas due to communication disruptions. The two sides disagree over who started the latest fighting, with the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF) saying it was responding to a federal offensive, and the government claiming Tigrayan forces attacked first.
TPLF fighters are also engaged in conflict in the Afar region, a strategic area connecting landlocked Ethiopia to Djibouti and its ports. Medical charity Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) reported that over 700 wounded people had been admitted to hospitals it supports in Tigray in recent days. A doctor at Alamata General Hospital described the fighting as involving heavy explosives and artillery, with some attacks landing in residential homes.
The doctor, who requested anonymity, said those killed in the crossfire included children as young as three days old, mothers, and cattle herders. A single strike on the town's marketplace resulted in 12 deaths, the medic said. Since the fighting began, banking services in Tigray have been suspended by the government, and access to the internet has been cut, although it is unclear who ordered the closure.
Key points
- At least 52 civilians killed in three days of fighting in Ethiopia's Tigray region
- Fighting has affected neighbouring regions, including Lalibela, a Unesco world heritage site
- Conflict has resulted in over 700 wounded people being admitted to hospitals in Tigray
