![CORRECTION / People who fled the war from May Tsemre, Addi Arkay and Zarima gather around in a temporarily built internally displaced people (IDP) camp to receive their first bags of wheat from the World Food Programme (WFP) in Debark, 90 kilometres of the city of Gondar, Ethiopia, on September 15, 2021. (Photo by Amanuel Sileshi / AFP) / ìThe erroneous mention[s] appearing in the metadata of this photo by Amanuel Sileshi has been modified in AFP systems in the following manner: [Debark, 90 kilometres of the city of Gondar] instead of [Dabat, 70 kilometres northeast of the city of Gondar]. Please immediately remove the erroneous mention[s] from all your online services and delete it (them) from your servers. If you have been authorized by AFP to distribute it (them) to third parties, please ensure that the same actions are carried out by them. Failure to promptly comply with these instructions will entail liability on your part for any continued or post notification usage. Therefore we thank you very much for all your attention and prompt action. We are sorry for the inconvenience this notification may cause and remain at your disposal for any further information you may require.î](https://business360news.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/Ethopia-Tigray-scaled.jpg)
Renewed fighting involving Ethiopian federal forces and Tigrayan fighters has spread across parts of northern Ethiopia, raising fears that the country could slide back towards a wider conflict nearly four years after a peace agreement ended one of Africa’s deadliest recent wars.
The latest escalation erupted around September 23, following months of mounting tensions over disputed territories, displaced populations and unresolved provisions of the 2022 Pretoria peace agreement.
Tigrayan authorities have described their military operations as defensive, accusing federal forces of launching attacks involving infantry, mechanised units and drones.
Federal officials and government allies have disputed that account and accused the Tigray People’s Liberation Front, or TPLF, of initiating the escalation.
Independent reporting has documented conflicting accounts over which side started the latest fighting.
New Armed Alliance Raises Stakes
The escalation came shortly after seven Ethiopian armed movements, including the TPLF, announced the formation of the Ethiopian Peoples’ Forces Alliance for Survival.
The alliance declared an objective of removing Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s government, substantially raising the political and military stakes surrounding the renewed confrontation.
That development marked an important shift from the unresolved disputes surrounding implementation of the Pretoria agreement towards a broader confrontation involving armed groups from different parts of Ethiopia.
Fighting subsequently spread beyond Tigray into neighbouring Afar and Amhara.
Reports also indicated that Tigrayan forces took control of Mekelle airport during the early stages of the escalation, disrupting commercial aviation into the region.
Civilians Again Caught in Conflict
For civilians in northern Ethiopia, the renewed fighting has revived memories of the devastating 2020-2022 conflict.
That war produced extensive displacement, severe humanitarian needs and major disruption to healthcare, banking, telecommunications and food supplies.
The latest violence is again affecting everyday life.
Residents have reported artillery fire and drone activity, while shortages of cash and fuel have emerged in parts of Tigray. More than 16,000 displaced people living in camps were already facing the prospect of being uprooted again as the fighting intensified, according to reporting from the region.
Commercial flights have also been disrupted, further restricting movement.
Afar Fighting Threatens Strategic Corridor
The expansion of fighting into Afar carries particular economic significance.
The region lies along Ethiopia’s critical transport connection towards Djibouti, whose ports handle much of the landlocked country’s international trade.
Any prolonged insecurity affecting transport routes through the region could therefore have consequences extending beyond the immediate battlefield.
Reports during the early escalation indicated that Tigrayan forces had moved into parts of Afar, including fighting around Abala and Erebti.
Federal forces have meanwhile carried out operations across northern Ethiopia as both sides seek control of strategically important territory.
Pretoria Peace Agreement Under Severe Strain
The renewed hostilities place the November 2022 Pretoria agreement under its most serious pressure.
That accord ended two years of war between Ethiopia’s federal government and Tigrayan forces, but several major issues remained unresolved.
They included the return of displaced people, disputed territories and the demobilisation and reintegration of Tigrayan fighters.
The persistence of those disputes helped create an increasingly fragile political environment before the latest outbreak of fighting.
Crisis Expands Beyond Ethiopia’s Borders
The conflict has now acquired a wider regional dimension.
Ethiopia has accused Eritrea of supporting the TPLF-led opposition alliance, an allegation Asmara denies. Relations deteriorated sharply this week, with Ethiopia closing its embassy in Asmara and expelling Eritrean diplomats before Eritrea announced it was severing diplomatic ties with Addis Ababa.
That reversal is particularly striking because Eritrean forces fought alongside Ethiopian federal troops during the earlier Tigray war.
The African Union has urged restraint and dialogue as concern grows that the renewed confrontation could expand further.
For civilians across northern Ethiopia, however, the immediate concern is more basic: avoiding another prolonged war.
The longer the current fighting continues, the greater the risk that displacement, disrupted trade and shortages of essential supplies will deepen — threatening to reverse the fragile recovery that followed the 2022 peace agreement.
