Everything Sawti has published in connection with this country.
A research study sets out three possible paths for the renewed clashes in northern Ethiopia since 23 September, ranging from a resumption of dialogue to continued limited fighting and escalating regional intervention. The conflict’s developments are linked to the future of the Pretoria Agreement and the safety of trade corridors leading to Djibouti and the Red Sea.
Three sources said Ethiopia’s federal army had recaptured Alula Aba Nega Airport in Mekelle, the capital of Tigray region, after clashes described as the most serious since the 2020-2022 war. Washington urged Ethiopia and Eritrea to show restraint and return to dialogue, amid fears that the fighting could expand into a regional conflict.
Ethiopian federal forces entered Mekelle, the capital of Tigray region, after it was largely vacated by forces loyal to the regional authorities, while a government-aligned group announced that it had taken control of the main airport. The advance followed a counter-offensive that pushed Tigray People’s Liberation Front forces back from Afar and Amhara.
Ethiopia's federal forces and their allies entered Mekelle, the capital of the Tigray region, after Tigray People's Liberation Front fighters withdrew from most of their positions. The move followed a counter-offensive on three fronts, amid residents' fears of chaos, looting and a worsening humanitarian crisis in the north of the country.
Fighters and leaders of the Tigray People's Liberation Front left Mekelle as federal forces and their allies advanced towards the regional capital, while the government-aligned Tigray Peace Forces announced that they had taken control of the main airport. The absence of security personnel from police stations and government offices raised residents' fears of looting and chaos.
The government-aligned Tigray Peace Forces announced that they had taken control of Alula Aba Nega Airport near Mekelle after a counter-offensive against rebel forces. The announcement comes as government forces and their allies advance in the region, amid growing fears that the fighting could widen and heightened tensions and severed diplomatic ties between Ethiopia and Eritrea.
Ethiopia and Eritrea severed diplomatic relations after Addis Ababa expelled 10 Eritrean diplomats and closed its embassy in Asmara. The escalation coincided with deadly clashes between Ethiopian forces and the Tigray People's Liberation Front, which killed and wounded hundreds and raised fears of a renewed civil war.
Explosions were heard at several locations in Addis Ababa on Wednesday night and Thursday morning, while a source linked to an opposition alliance fighting federal forces in northern Ethiopia said the alliance had carried out drone strikes inside the capital. The claim could not be independently verified, and the cause of the explosions and the extent of any possible damage remained unclear.
Several explosions were heard in Addis Ababa late on Wednesday, including one near the headquarters of the Ethiopian National Defence Force, while a source linked to an opposition alliance claimed responsibility for drone attacks. The claim could not be verified, no damage was seen near the military headquarters, and the developments came after a ban on drone flights in the capital and surrounding areas.
Fighting has intensified in northern Ethiopia as federal forces advance into Tigray and take control of five towns, while clashes escalate in Afar to retake Abala and Eribti from the Tigray People’s Liberation Front and its allies, amid UN warnings of a widening conflict and rising numbers of wounded people and displaced residents.
The Tigray Peace Force said the Ethiopian army and allied fighters had taken control of Alamata, a strategic supply hub south of Mekelle. Two diplomatic sources supported the account, while a third said the forces had entered the town but that it was unclear whether they had fully secured it.
Fighting has continued in north-eastern Ethiopia for a fourth day along a front stretching between 80 and 90 kilometres, with clashes near Abala, whose population exceeds 50,000. The siege of the city and escalating military operations have raised humanitarian concerns, as well as fears over the impact of the fighting on trade in the region.
Clashes between Ethiopian federal forces and Tigray forces and their allies have spread to the Amhara and Afar regions, with fighting near Abala and Lalibela, flight suspensions and internet outages in northern areas. The two sides have traded accusations over who started the escalation, while the Ethiopian army announced casualty figures among its opponents that could not be independently verified.
A local internet and communications outage in the Tigray region coincided with expanding clashes between federal forces and Tigray forces and their allies into the Afar and Amhara regions. The Ethiopian army said 272 members of the Front's forces were killed and 260 others wounded, while the fighting led to the suspension of flights to Lalibela and prompted residents to stock up on basic necessities.
The Tigray People's Liberation Front said it was waging an all-out war against the Ethiopian government as fighting spread to Amhara and Afar. The federal army announced that 272 fighters had been killed, while a humanitarian source reported shelling in Yalo village, injuries and civilian displacement, amid fears the conflict could widen.
Clashes have resumed between federal forces and the Tigray People’s Liberation Front, with the front’s forces taking control of strategic airports and tensions spreading to neighbouring areas. The escalation coincides with an alliance bringing together seven armed groups and signs of rapprochement between Tigray and Eritrea, potentially giving the conflict a regional dimension.
Tigray forces seized Alula Aba Nega Airport in Mekelle, the capital of Ethiopia’s northern Tigray region, leading to the cancellation of a scheduled flight to Addis Ababa. The move comes amid rising tensions between the Tigray People’s Liberation Front and the federal government, and growing fears that the de-escalation following the Pretoria Agreement could collapse.
Seven Ethiopian opposition and armed groups have announced the unification of their efforts against Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s government, amid ongoing fighting and tensions in several areas. Two Egyptian experts believe the unrest could reduce Addis Ababa’s ability to manage the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam and other water projects, while reshaping the balance of power in East Africa and the Horn of Africa.
Seven armed and opposition groups in Ethiopia, including forces that fought on opposite sides of the Tigray war, have announced an alliance aimed at ousting the government led by the Prosperity Party and establishing a transitional administration. The government accused Eritrea of funding alliance members, while Asmara has repeatedly denied similar allegations, amid doubts about the groups' ability to coordinate their actions across political and geographical divides.
Seven armed Ethiopian organisations have announced the formation of an alliance aimed at removing the federal government led by the Prosperity Party and establishing a transitional authority. The bloc brings together forces that fought one another in recent years, amid uncertainty over its leadership and political programme, and warnings that internal conflicts could widen and become linked to regional tensions.
Seven Ethiopian armed and political groups have announced the formation of an alliance aimed at ousting Abiy Ahmed’s government and establishing a transitional administration, as fighting spreads across Oromia and Amhara and tensions return to Tigray. The announcement followed violence in Gambella that killed 12 people, while a health centre received 88 injured and affected people.
Seven Ethiopian armed opposition groups have announced a coalition bringing together forces from Tigray, Amhara and Oromia, with the aim of changing the federal government and preparing for a political transition. The alliance comes amid continuing clashes in western Oromia and rising tensions between Addis Ababa and the Tigray People’s Liberation Front following military movements and drone strikes.
