Airstrikes and artillery struck Ethiopia's Tigray region overnight, killing at least 17 people northwest of Mekelle, humanitarian groups said. Federal forces, which re-entered Mekelle over the weekend, exchanged heavy artillery fire with fighters loyal to the TPLF, with clashes reported near the Tekeze River. Regional leaders from Egypt, Eritrea, Sudan and Somalia reportedly agreed to coordinate if the conflict spreads, while the US warned against escalation. The fighting is the worst flare-up since the 2020–2022 Tigray war.
Airstrikes, Artillery Rock Northern Ethiopia as Federal Forces Clash With TPLF
Men ride in a vehicle bearing the Tigray region flag on the streets of Mekelle, Ethiopia, in this screengrab from a handout video released October 4, 2026. Tigrai Peace Force/Handout via REUTERS
Airstrikes and artillery struck Ethiopia's northern Tigray region overnight into Monday, aid groups reported, as federal forces and fighters aligned with the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF) engaged in heavy clashes that risk a wider regional escalation.
Casualties and Local Impact
A humanitarian bulletin circulated among aid organisations said air attacks killed at least 17 people northwest of Mekelle, the regional capital that federal troops re-entered over the weekend. The bulletin reported at least nine deaths in Adwa and eight in Sheraro, but did not identify who carried out the strikes. Another aid worker confirmed attacks in Adwa but had no casualty figures.
Frontlines and Fire Exchanges
Humanitarians said government forces exchanged artillery with TPLF fighters near the Tekeze River by the town of Mai Tsebri. In Mekelle, where Tigrayan forces withdrew without fighting, residents said daily life was beginning to return to normal with shops reopening and phone and internet services restored after about a week-long disruption.
Regional Tensions and Diplomatic Fallout
Analysts warn the clashes — the worst escalation since the 2020–2022 Tigray war — could widen. Ethiopia has accused neighbouring Eritrea and Sudan, and beyond them Egypt, of supporting armed opposition groups; all three countries deny the allegations. Last week Ethiopia and Eritrea severed diplomatic ties amid the accusations.
According to anonymous Egyptian security and political sources, the leaders of Egypt, Eritrea, Sudan and Somalia met on Sunday and agreed to coordinate military and intelligence measures if the conflict spreads to shared borders, though they gave no further details.
International Response and Background
The U.S. State Department urged Asmara and Addis Ababa to exercise restraint, warning renewed conflict would jeopardise cooperation. Eritrean troops previously fought alongside Ethiopian federal forces during the 2020–2022 war after a 2018 rapprochement that helped secure Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed international recognition.
In parliament on Monday, Prime Minister Abiy reiterated Ethiopia's long-standing claim that access to the sea is vital to its modernization and security, a point of friction with Eritrea, which has voiced fears Ethiopia might seek control of the Assab port. Abiy says Addis Ababa seeks maritime access by peaceful means.
Reporting note: Representatives for Prime Minister Abiy's office, the Ethiopian National Defence Force and the TPLF did not immediately respond to requests for comment, and the reported strikes have not been independently verified.
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