Tensions Rise as Ethiopia and Tigray Accuse Each Other of New Offensives
In the latest volley of claims, Ethiopia’s federal government and the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) accuse one another of launching military offensives that could ignite a new war after a two‑year conflict ended in 2022. The fighting – which has already killed an estimated 600,000 people – has intensified in the capital Mekelle and at Afar airports after the TPLF seized key infrastructure.
Getachew Reda, a former adviser to Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, said Tigrayan forces captured federal airports and pushed into neighboring Afar and Amhara territories. The TPLF responded that it was forced into a defensive war and blamed the federal government for senseless drone strikes.
Both sides blame each other for violating the AU‑brokered Pretoria peace agreement, while the African Union Commission calls for immediate de‑escalation and renewed talks. The United States has condemned TPLF drone attacks on aid convoys, urging an investigation.
The looming conflict threatens to derail Ethiopia’s development agenda and worsen food security across the Horn of Africa, a region already fragile to climate shocks. Local residents in Mekelle report that the presence of soldiers and drones has disrupted daily life and heightened anxiety.
