Renewed clashes in Ethiopia’s Tigray raise fears of fresh war in war-scarred region

Fresh fighting between forces loyal to the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) and the Ethiopian federal army has broken out in a contested area of northern Tigray, reviving fears of a renewed war in a region still bearing the scars of a devastating two-year conflict. Reports from the ground describe exchanges of fire in disputed territory, though the full scale of the clashes remains difficult to verify amid limited access for journalists and aid workers.

A fragile peace under strain

The renewed hostilities come against a backdrop of strained relations between the federal government in Addis Ababa and Tigrayan authorities. A peace agreement signed in late 2022 formally ended the previous war, but tensions have persisted over the disarmament of Tigrayan fighters, the return of displaced civilians, and the political status of the region. The latest clashes suggest that the arrangements underpinning the ceasefire are under serious pressure.

Echoes of a devastating war

The conflict that engulfed Tigray between 2020 and 2022 was one of the deadliest of the 21st century, with estimates indicating that around 600,000 people lost their lives through violence, starvation and lack of medical care. Much of the region’s infrastructure was destroyed, hundreds of thousands were displaced, and aid agencies say recovery has been slow and uneven. International donors have struggled to deliver sufficient humanitarian assistance, and large parts of the population remain dependent on food aid.

Mediation efforts falter

Diplomatic initiatives aimed at preserving the ceasefire appear to have faltered. Envoys from the United States and the African Union have engaged with both sides in recent months, but observers note that a lasting political settlement remains elusive. Concerns are also growing among Tigray’s diaspora and civil society groups, who warn that any return to large-scale fighting would have catastrophic humanitarian consequences given the fragility of the region’s recovery.

Regional implications

Beyond Ethiopia’s borders, the situation carries implications for the wider Horn of Africa, where several countries are grappling with their own security challenges. Neighboring Eritrea, which fought alongside federal forces during the earlier war, remains a closely watched actor, as does Amhara region, where tensions over contested territories persist. The international community, including the United Nations, has called for restraint and for all parties to respect the terms of the existing ceasefire agreement.

As reports of fighting continue to emerge, aid organizations and diplomatic observers are urging immediate de-escalation. For the people of Tigray, many of whom have only recently begun to rebuild their lives after the last war, the prospect of renewed violence represents a deeply unwelcome threat to an already precarious recovery.

Source: FRANCE 24 — read the original report.