Tigrayan forces have been patrolling the streets of Mekelle, the capital of Ethiopia’s northern Tigray region, this week, amid renewed fighting between regional forces and the national army [F1/S1]. Residents, still recovering from a two‑year war that ended in 2022, say they fear a return to full‑scale conflict [F2/S1].
The renewed clashes have been accompanied by panic buying and disruptions to internet and telephone services, leaving many unable to access money through digital apps in a largely cash‑only economy after ATMs stopped working several months ago [F3/S1][F4/S1].
The African Union‑brokered Pretoria Agreement, which ended the war nearly four years ago, left several issues unresolved, and those lingering disputes have inflamed the current tensions [F5/S1]. Both sides have been trading blame while troops mobilise amid pockets of fighting [F6/S1]. The Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) says it is responding to a federal offensive that includes drone strikes, whereas the federal government alleges that Tigrayan forces attacked first after seizing control of airports in the region [F7/S1].
The TPLF, which emerged as an armed movement in the 1970s against Ethiopia’s then‑military government, has long dominated Tigray’s political landscape [F8/S1]. Critics have sometimes argued that the group held disproportionate influence given that Tigrayans comprise roughly 6 % of Ethiopia’s population [F9/S1]. Relations between Addis Ababa and the TPLF deteriorated rapidly in the years leading up to the 2020 war, one of the deadliest conflicts of the century [F10/S1]. An uneasy truce was agreed in November 2022 [F11/S1].
Four key issues remain contested, two of which concern the fertile western part of Tigray. Many in the neighbouring Amhara region believe that western Tigray should never have been incorporated into Tigray when regional boundaries were drawn [F12/S1][F13/S1].
The combination of renewed patrols, service disruptions and heightened fear among civilians underscores the fragility of the peace settlement and the potential for further escalation.
Sources
BBC News World, “Are Ethiopians marching back to war in Tigray?” https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c6d94wywx0ypo?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=rss
Source: BBC News World
Corrections
If you believe this article contains an error, contact Herald Express with the source URL and supporting evidence.
Story synopsis gathered from: BBC News World — source
