The Chief of Staff of the Ethiopian army, Marshal Birhanu Jula, has accused Eritrea, Sudan, and Egypt of supporting armed groups fighting federal forces in northern Ethiopia. In a statement on the Ethiopian Armed Forces' YouTube channel, Jula claimed that these groups, including the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF), could not have acted alone and received support and supplies from Sudan, Egypt, and other foreign powers.
The accusations come as fighting resumed in northern Ethiopia, sparking fears of a new war in the Tigray region, which had been devastated by a conflict that killed hundreds of thousands of people between 2020 and 2022. According to a humanitarian source, up to 150,000 people may have been displaced by the fighting in the Afar region. The source also reported that TPLF forces had captured the town of Erebti in Afar after intense clashes.
The fighting has also spread to neighboring regions of Amhara and Afar. The humanitarian source estimated that 150,000 people are now displaced in the Afar areas affected by the fighting, although it is difficult to establish an accurate count due to limited access to rural areas. TPLF fighters are reportedly advancing towards Afdera, a strategic location connecting Ethiopia to Djibouti.
A drone strike hit the building housing Tigrai TV in Mekele, the capital of Tigray, on Sunday, damaging the structure but causing no reported injuries. The resumption of fighting has raised concerns about a new escalation in northern Ethiopia, four years after a war that deeply destabilized the region.
The conflict in Tigray has been ongoing since 2020, when the federal government clashed with the TPLF, which dominated the region. The war resulted in significant humanitarian and economic costs, with hundreds of thousands of people killed and millions displaced. The international community has called for a peaceful resolution to the conflict.
The Ethiopian government has been working to establish a fragile peace in the region, but the resumption of fighting has raised concerns about the stability of the region. The accusations by Marshal Birhanu Jula against Eritrea, Sudan, and Egypt have added to tensions in the region, which is home to several fragile states.
The situation in northern Ethiopia remains volatile, with concerns about the humanitarian impact of the conflict. The international community is closely monitoring the situation, with the United Nations and other organizations calling for an immediate ceasefire and a return to peace talks.
Key points
- The Ethiopian army chief accuses Eritrea, Sudan, and Egypt of supporting rebels in northern Ethiopia.
- Up to 150,000 people may have been displaced by the fighting in the Afar region.
- The resumption of fighting has raised concerns about a new escalation in northern Ethiopia.
