Ethiopia and Tigray exchange offensive accusations, raising war fears
Ethiopian government and Tigrayan authorities accuse each other of launching new offensives, escalating fears of a return to full-scale conflict.
Stock photo for illustration only, not from the actual event
- Ethiopian government and Tigray leaders accuse each other of initiating new military offensives.
- Getachew Reda states Tigrayan forces seized federal airports and advanced into Afar and Amhara.
- Airstrikes in Alamata town killed at least 14 people and injured 22 others.
- The US and the African Union urge immediate de-escalation and a return to dialogue.
The government of Ethiopia and the ruling party in the northern Tigray region have accused each other of launching fresh military offensives, escalating fears that the country could slide back into a devastating full-scale civil war.
Getachew Reda, a cabinet minister and adviser to the Ethiopian prime minister, stated1 that Tigrayan fighters had taken control of federally administered airports within Tigray and initiated offensives in the neighboring Afar and Amhara regions. In response, Tigrayan authorities maintained that their forces were compelled to enter a defensive war following reported drone strikes.
This renewed friction threatens the fragile 2022 Pretoria Agreement, which formally ended a two-year conflict in Tigray. That previous war was recorded as one of the deadliest of this century, with African Union mediators estimating that around 600,000 people died as fighting pushed the region to the brink of famine.
Stock photo for illustration only, not from the actual event
Mogos Shiferaw, mayor of the southern town of Alamata, reported that more than five drones and one fighter jet carried out over 21 strikes starting at approximately 03:30 on Tuesday. He stated that the attacks resulted in at least 14 civilian deaths and 22 injuries, while accusing federal forces of targeting two unoccupied secondary schools.
"It is rather heartbreaking to learn that, despite efforts by many, including the international community, to avoid yet another round of war in Tigray, the TPLF leadership early this morning launched an all-out offensive against government positions in Afar and Amhara."
Getachew Reda, Ethiopian Prime Minister's Adviser
Meanwhile, Tigrayan authorities condemned Addis Ababa for executing an open invasion of the region and called for public unity. Additionally, the US State Department's Bureau of African Affairs condemned a separate drone strike targeting a Catholic convoy carrying food aid on Monday, urging a thorough investigation.
The volatile situation in Ethiopia's Tigray region highlights the fragility of post-conflict peace agreements in the Horn of Africa. The breakdown of the political transition between Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed's administration and the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF) risks triggering a fresh humanitarian crisis and destabilizing the broader region.
Source: BBC World
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