A drone attack on Sunday hit the headquarters of Tigrai TV, a key outlet for the rebel authorities in the Tigrayan capital, Mekelle. The attack occurred around 0600 GMT, causing damage to the building's facade and blowing out numerous windows. A journalist from the station reported fleeing the building after hearing a loud bang from the drone strike. The channel has not commented on the incident, and photos show the extent of the damage.
The drone attack on Tigrai TV comes amid renewed clashes between the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF) and the federal government in northern Ethiopia. A humanitarian source told AFP that rebels had made advances against government forces, with the Afar town of Erebti falling to the rebels on Sunday after being pounded by heavy artillery. The TPLF is now advancing towards the town of Afdeera, some 100 kilometres to the east.
The conflict has raised fears of a return to the full-blown civil war of 2020-2022, which resulted in an estimated 600,000 deaths. The TPLF has forged an alliance with seven armed groups around the country and appears to be repeating its 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 federal government in Addis Ababa had previously suspended Tigrai TV "indefinitely" and banned other outlets from broadcasting its reports. Communications have been limited since Friday, with key telecoms providers reporting major disruption to phone and internet services in Tigray, making reporting on the conflict difficult. Many in Tigray are terrified of a repeat of the blockade imposed by the federal government during the war.
United Nations chief Antonio Guterres raised concerns on Friday, his spokesman saying he was "particularly troubled by reports of the use of drones as well as incidents of harm to civilians". The government has a significant military advantage, with a large arsenal of drones, an army of some 500,000 troops, and support from abroad, notably the United Arab Emirates.
The conflict could draw in neighbouring Eritrea on the side of the rebels, as it fears landlocked Ethiopia has been planning to invade and seize a direct point of access to the Red Sea. The TPLF ruled the whole of Ethiopia from 1991 to 2018 before being sidelined with Abiy's rise to the prime minister's post. That eventually triggered a civil war marked by widespread war crimes and sexual violence.
The Pretoria Peace Agreement of 2022, brokered by African institutions and Washington, maintained an uneasy calm until last year. However, it was never fully implemented, leaving around one million people unable to return to their homes. Sporadic clashes then resumed, with the federal forces launching multiple drone strikes in Tigray in recent months and massing troops at the border. Rights groups have accused the TPLF of a campaign of forced recruitment this year as it prepared for renewed conflict.
Key points
- The drone attack on Tigrai TV station has damaged the building and raised concerns about the escalation of the conflict.
- The rebels have made advances against government forces, with the Afar town of Erebti falling to the rebels on Sunday.
- The conflict has raised fears of a return to the full-blown civil war of 2020-2022, which resulted in an estimated 600,000 deaths.
