The Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF) has seized control of regional airports in Tigray, located in northern Ethiopia, and is engaged in further clashes with government forces in the neighboring Afar and Amhara regions.
New Clashes and Their Consequences
Wednesday's clashes mark the latest series of battles in recent months and have raised concerns about the resumption of intense warfare in this devastated region. The African Union (AU) estimates that around 600,000 people were killed in the fighting between TPLF and Ethiopian forces during the 2020-2022 civil war, with over a million still displaced.
On Wednesday, Ethiopian Airlines announced that it had suspended its services at the airports in Mekelle, Axum, and Shire due to the current situation. Local witnesses reported that TPLF rebels captured Mekelle Airport, which is usually under government control, without any resistance.
Formation of a New Alliance and Ongoing Clashes
These clashes come just days after TPLF announced that it had joined a "survival alliance" with other groups aimed at ousting Abiy Ahmed, the Prime Minister of Ethiopia, and his government from power. Abiy and his Prosperity Party were re-elected in the June elections, although these elections were boycotted by Ethiopia's main opposition groups.
TPLF ruled Ethiopia from 1991 to 2018, after which Abiy Ahmed came to power, a change that led to the onset of the country's civil war. The Pretoria peace agreement in 2022 ended this conflict, but peace remains elusive, and government forces have resumed drone airstrikes in 2025, while TPLF rebels continue to gather forces at regional borders.
Ethiopia has accused TPLF of allying with Eritrea and other armed groups. Abiy's advisor described Wednesday's developments as "heartbreaking," stating that rebels have begun their attacks against government forces in Afar and Amhara and have captured Tigray's airports.
However, the Tigray government stated in a Facebook post that the Tigray army has "received instructions to respond to the attack and criminal invasion that has been launched against us and has entered into a defensive battle."
