Ethiopia fighting spreads beyond Tigray as internet disrupted

ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia (AP) — Inhabitants of the biggest city in northern Ethiopia expressed fear on Friday, with many attempting to flee to other regions to escape renewed combat between federal forces and rebels opposing Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed. The first annual fee of $205.00 plus GST applies to a one-year subscription, which will automatically renew at $233.00 plus GST every 52 weeks.

People are deeply concerned that the suspension of transport services signals the outbreak of renewed conflict, according to Selam Fantay, a garlic vendor in Tigrayan capital Mekelle. The suspension of transport links may increase the cost of essential goods, warned Hailay Meles, a businessman in Mekelle. "As long as this conflict persists, it will continue to drive up the prices of basic commodities," he said.

Valerie Browning, co-founder of the Afar Pastoralist Development Association, reported that many people are fleeing Tigray into Afar. She stated that explosions were heard overnight, and that government-issued vehicles, including ambulances, are being seized by the government for use in the war. Federal troops and opposition fighters are blaming each other for violating the peace deal from 2022 that ended a destructive two-year war in Tigray.

Tensions remain high, and in May, caretaker leader Tadesse Werede was removed and replaced with a Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF) leader who led Tigrayans in the 2020-2022 war. Federal authorities accuse the TPLF of attempting to form an alliance with Eritrea to destabilize Ethiopia, while the TPLF claims Ethiopian authorities conducted drone attacks in Tigray.

Eritrea expressed alarm over Abiy's statements regarding sovereign access to the Red Sea via Eritrea. Ethiopian military claimed dozens of TPLF fighters were killed and others detained, with federal forces seizing weapons. Opposition groups united to remove Prime Minister Abiy's Prosperity Party government, combining political opposition with military coordination among armed groups operating in various parts of Ethiopia. The risk of the fighting spreading nationwide is significant, warned analyst Magnus Taylor.