Security

Fighting Widens Across Ethiopia as Tigray Clashes Escalate

AI SUMMARY

A military escalation in Tigray has widened into neighboring regions following the formation of a new anti-government coalition of armed groups.

Clashes escalated in southern Tigray and spread to the neighboring Afar and Amhara regions, with TPLF officials describing the situation as a full war.
The Tigray Army stated the federal government launched a full-scale offensive involving infantry, mechanized units, and drones, while Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed's adviser Getachew Reda accused the TPLF of starting the attack.
The fighting disrupted air travel after Tigrayan forces seized regional airports and Ethiopian Airlines suspended flights, with reports also indicating the capture of Abala in Afar.
The military intensification followed the announcement of the Ethiopian Peoples' Forces Alliance for Survival, comprising seven armed movements including the TPLF, Fano, and Oromo Liberation Army, dedicated to removing Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed's government.
The regional bloc IGAD called for an immediate cessation of hostilities and direct dialogue, while the UN expressed concern over the new armed coalition and reports of drone attacks.
The new alliance emerged from political realignments following the November 2022 Pretoria agreement, which ended the two-year Tigray war but strained relations between Addis Ababa, Eritrea, and regional forces in Amhara and Tigray.
TPLF official Abdisalam Balema stated the group joined forces with former enemies to avoid being isolated, though analysts noted potential future friction over competing territorial claims and differing expectations among member constituencies.