Clashes between the central government and the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) resumed in Ethiopia on Wednesday. The developments heightened concerns that the conflict could return to the war in which approximately 600 thousand people were killed in 2020-2022. The clashes came two days after the formation of a military alliance comprising seven forces aimed at overthrowing Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s government.
The TPLF captured several airports, including Mekelle Airport, while clashing with the federal army and the Tigray Peace Forces in the Tigray and Afar regions; eyewitnesses reported that the forces had taken control of some forward positions in Afar. Getachew Reda condemned the attacks and announced that flights had been suspended. While the federal government has not yet issued a statement, the Tigray administration announced that it had ordered defensive clashes following the federal army’s “occupation and attack.”
The TPLF blamed the African Union (AfB) for the implementation of the Pretoria Peace Agreement. Mahmud Ali Yusuf, Chairperson of the AfB Commission, meanwhile called for a reduction in the clashes. The TPLF argued that the AfB statement supported Addis Ababa’s narrative.
Why it matters
The new clashes are emerging as a turning point showing that the armed tensions in Tigray have not been permanently resolved by the Pretoria Peace Agreement. The seven-force alliance’s targeting of Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s government demonstrates that the issue has moved beyond being merely a dispute between Tigray and the federal administration and has increased military pressure on the central government. The suspension of flights and the transfer of control over some airports indicate that the developments also have consequences for regional transportation and civilian mobility. While the federal government has not yet issued a statement, leaving open questions about how the attacks will be assessed and through which mechanism the peace agreement will be implemented, the accusations between the TPLF and the African Union have also raised questions about the credibility of the mediation.