Fighting flared in western Tigray near Sheraro, representing a major breach of the 2022 Pretoria peace agreement as Mekelle and federal authorities trade blame over who started the assault. Tigrayan officials say federal forces advanced from the Sudan border area, while federal-aligned figures accuse TPLF leadership of provoking conflict. The clashes underscore unresolved core disputes from the Pretoria deal and raise fears the confrontation could widen without urgent international mediation.
Renewed Clashes in Western Tigray Threaten to Shatter 2022 Pretoria Peace Accord
[Al Jazeera]
Fighting has erupted in western Tigray, marking one of the most serious breaches of the 2022 Pretoria peace agreement between Ethiopia's federal government and the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF).
Tigray's regional administration in Mekelle said federal forces launched an assault at dawn near Sheraro, close to the Sudanese border. A federal minister, Abraham Belay, confirmed clashes but accused TPLF forces led by chairman Debretsion Gebremichael of initiating the violence.
"Enough war! Let us resolve our differences through dialogue," Abraham Belay wrote on Facebook.
The outbreak follows months of worsening relations and reciprocal accusations that each side has failed to implement key provisions of the Pretoria deal. Tigrayan officials say the ruling Prosperity Party has imposed a long-term blockade and run drone operations against the region, steps they say have now escalated into open warfare.
Political Fallout
Getachew Reda, a former TPLF spokesman who now advises Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, urged commanders of the Tigray Defence Forces to abandon Debretsion, accusing the TPLF leader of relying on Eritrean support and the Amhara Fano militia to try to return to power. Reda and Redwan Hussein — the two signatories of the Pretoria agreement on behalf of the TPLF and the federal government — warned in an Al Jazeera op-ed in June that hostilities could resume.
International Concerns and Risks
The United States has already imposed visa restrictions on individuals it described as TPLF "hardliners" accused of obstructing the peace process; the TPLF called the measures "incomplete and imbalanced." Analysts say the 2022 accord halted large-scale fighting but left core disputes — notably disarmament and the TPLF's legal status — unresolved, increasing the risk of renewed, wider conflict.
Regional analyst Faisal Roble warned: "Without a powerful international intervention, we could be heading to a much larger war." Independent casualty figures and third-party verification were not immediately available.
What to watch next: diplomatic mediation efforts, troop movements around Sheraro, statements from Addis Ababa and Mekelle, and reactions from neighbouring states and international actors.
Help us improve.
