Turmoil in Tigray: the view from Ethiopia's neighbours
Turmoil in Tigray: the view from Ethiopia's neighbours newspress_en Wed, 09/30/2026 - 04:35 Politics With all the talk of the Houthi militia’s advance into southern Yemen along the Red Sea’s eastern coast, it is easy to forget that a civil war in Ethiopia killed hundreds of thousands on the sea’s western flank from 2020-22, and easy to miss the signs that it may be flickering back to life. Beyond…
Tensions are rising in northern Ethiopia following the seizure of airports by Tigrayan rebels, signaling a potential resurgence of the civil war that ravaged the country from 2020-22. The conflict, between the Ethiopian government led by Abiy Ahmed and the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF), is reminiscent of its previous stages.
Eritrea and Ethiopian militias from the region of Amhara, which borders Tigray, initially supported the Abiy government. However, the TPLF, representing the marginalised Tigrayan people in the country's far north, was outnumbered. They regrouped in 2021 and reclaimed Tigray and parts of Amhara and Afar, threatening routes into the capital city, Addis Ababa.
A truce followed in November 2022, and sanctions eased on Ethiopia and Eritrea. On September 20, 2026, the TPLF and the Fano, along with the Oromo Liberation Army, announced the formation of the Ethiopian Peoples' Forces Alliance for Survival, including the Fano and TPLF. Eritrea, previously allied with Abiy, now aids the TPLF-Fano alliance.
On September 23, the Tigray Defence Forces seized airports in Mekelle, Axum, and Shire, with clashes reported in Afar and Amhara. The alliance reportedly has support in six of Ethiopia's 12 regions, potentially transforming the revolt into a nationwide war. The 2020-22 war left unclear casualty estimates, but it displaced nearly a million people and was marred by sexual violence against Tigrayan women and girls.
Since the Pretoria agreement halted the 2020-22 conflict, the 2022-23 fighting moved to Amhara, with the federal army facing strong resistance from the Fano. Abiy Ahmed's government is tightening its grip on information, cutting local phone and internet connections in Tigray and revoking the accreditation of foreign media outlets.
Egypt's President Sisi is wary of the potential consequences of a civil war in Ethiopia, particularly the refugee crisis.
Written by urgent.news from Al Majalla English's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
