The Ethiopian military says it repelled attacks by Tigrayan forces and allied groups after fighting resumed in the north, with the army reporting heavy casualties and captured weapons. The TPLF reportedly seized three airports and announced an alliance with six armed groups, while clashes and artillery strikes have been reported in Afar and Amhara. Independent verification is limited because reporters cannot access Tigray; observers warn the escalation risks a return to the catastrophic 2020–2022 war and severe humanitarian consequences.
Northern Ethiopia on Edge: Army Says It Repelled Tigrayan-Led Attacks After TPLF Seizes Airports
Tigrayan fighters have been seen on the streets of the region's main city but it is relatively quiet there as clashes flare up elsewhere [Reuters]
Ethiopia's national army issued its first public statement since fresh clashes erupted on Wednesday, saying it had repelled attacks by fighters from the Tigray region and allied groups in the country’s north.
Developments
The military said hostilities began in parts of Amhara close to the Tigray border, and that federal forces inflicted heavy casualties on the attackers and seized weapons. The Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) has not publicly responded to the army’s claims.
On Wednesday the TPLF reportedly took control of three airports from federal police. Ethiopian Airlines subsequently cancelled all flights to Tigray. Independent verification of these and other claims is limited because journalists and international teams remain unable to access Tigray and nearby areas.
[BBC]
Fighting Outside Tigray
There are unconfirmed reports that fighting has spread beyond Tigray into parts of Afar and Amhara. A humanitarian contact in Afar told AFP that Tigrayan forces launched heavy artillery strikes while attempting to seize the town of Yallo, near the border with Tigray.
"We are in the situation of full-blown war now," TPLF vice-president Amanuel Assefa told AFP.
Humanitarian and Political Context
The renewed violence follows months of mounting tensions between Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s federal government and Tigray authorities. The two sides fought an intense conflict from 2020 to 2022 that ended with an African Union-brokered peace agreement; the AU-appointed mediator later estimated roughly 600,000 deaths and said the war pushed the region toward famine.
On Sunday the TPLF announced an alliance with six other armed groups that it says aims to remove the federal government. Observers and aid agencies warn that a wider resumption of large-scale fighting would have grave humanitarian consequences for millions of civilians across northern Ethiopia.
[BBC]
Life in Mekelle
Residents of Mekelle, the regional capital, told the BBC that local forces took control of the city’s airport from federal police early on Wednesday. A Mekelle resident who spoke to the BBC’s Newsday programme and asked to be identified only as Fitsum said there had been no major clashes inside the city itself, but described severe economic strain.
"Mekelle is calm, except the stress from the people," Fitsum said, warning that withheld government budgets, cash shortages and reliance on mobile banking could leave people exposed if communications are cut.
With movement restricted and an atmosphere of fear, residents report limited access to cash and basic services. Humanitarian groups are calling for urgent access and de-escalation to prevent further civilian suffering.
Note on sources: This article draws on statements from the Ethiopian army, reporting by the BBC and AFP, and local eyewitness accounts. Many claims remain unverified due to restricted access to the affected areas.
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