In brief
Thousands of civilians in Tigray’s capital Mekelle are caught in a sudden surge of violence after months of uneasy truce. The Ethiopian federal army and the Tigray People’s Liberation Front have exchanged attacks, with drones hitting schools and disputed airports. Residents fear the return of the 2020 war after panic‑buying, unreliable mobile services and a cash‑crisis sweep through the region. Diplomatic pressure from the African Union and U.N. seeks a ceasefire, but deep mistrust and a new alliance of regional groups threaten to widen the conflict.
Ethiopia’s Tigray conflict flares up
Thousands of civilians in Tigray’s capital Mekelle are caught in a sudden surge of violence after months of uneasy truce.
The Ethiopian federal army and the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) have exchanged attacks, with drones striking schools and fighting spreading to nearby Afar and Amhara regions.
Protests, widespread panic‑buying and disrupted mobile services have left residents unable to access digital banking, as the country’s cash‑less economy collapses under the strain.
Both sides blame the other for the escalation – the TPLF says it is responding to a federal offensive, while the government claims Tigrayan troops seized key airports first.
The African Union and the United Nations have called for an immediate ceasefire, but deep mistrust and a new Alliance for Survival that includes Amhara and Oromo groups make reconciliation difficult.
If the fighting spreads beyond Tigray, neighbouring Eritrea could become involved, and the already tense region of Sudan risks added pressure on its fronts.
Humanitarian observers warn that the clash risks triggering another famine‑like crisis, as food supplies are already strained from the 2020 war.
