Tigrayan leaders say new war with Ethiopian government has begun, as fighting erupts

On Wednesday, leaders of the Tigray region in northern Ethiopia declared a new war against the federal government as clashes erupted in Tigray and two surrounding regions, ending a four-year peace deal. The Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF), which previously fought against Ethiopian forces, announced it had entered a defensive war against the government's "autocratic and genocidal" Prosperity regime.

The conflict follows months of escalating tension, culminating in Sunday's announcement of a military alliance between the TPLF and six other Ethiopian armed groups seeking to overthrow Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed's administration. Getachew Reda, a former TPLF official, reported that the TPLF had seized control of federally controlled airports in Tigray and launched an "all-out offensive" against government forces in neighboring Afar and Amhara regions.

Ethiopian Airlines has suspended flights to the region, and armed groups have reportedly allied with Tigrayan forces in Afar and the Fano militia in Amhara. However, the federal government has accused the TPLF of breaching the Pretoria Agreement and attempting to spread chaos, with Abiy's spokesperson citing alleged Eritrean financial support for the new alliance. Eritrea has denied these claims.