Fighting flares up in Ethiopia, fears of new war
Fighting spreads from Tigray to neighbouring states as parties blame each other and mediators call for a return to the peace agreement.
Fighting has flared up again in northern Ethiopia. Clashes between federal troops and fighters affiliated with the Tigray People’s Liberation Front have spread to adjacent regions, fuelling fears of a wider war.
According to Human Rights Watch, the new fighting began on 22 September in Tigray, Amhara and Afar. It involved clashes between the Ethiopian army and fighters affiliated with the Tigray People’s Liberation Front, the main political movement in Tigray. There had already been reports of clashes and air strikes in the region since August.
The United Nations reported on 23 September that the situation was deteriorating rapidly. According to the UN, the airports in Mekelle, Axum and Shire had come under the control of Tigrayan fighters, and fighting around Tigray was spreading to surrounding areas. The African Union confirmed the seizure of the airports and referred to the detention of federal employees.
Accounts of the trigger differ. Tigrayan leaders say the federal government launched a large-scale offensive and that their fighters were acting in self-defence. An adviser to Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, by contrast, accused the TPLF of starting the attack. Independent observers have not been able to fully verify the accounts of how the escalation began.
The fighting is also affecting civilian transport. According to Al Jazeera, flights to Tigray were suspended after the airports were taken over. The European Union also warned of military activity in several locations and said that earlier drone strikes by the Ethiopian army had further heightened tensions.
The escalation follows a political realignment. Earlier this month, seven armed movements announced that they were cooperating in an alliance seeking to oust Abiy’s government. Participants include the TPLF, the Amhara Fano movement and the Oromo Liberation Army. The alliance brings together groups with different regional aims and a history of conflict with one another.
The previous war in Tigray lasted from 2020 to 2022 and ended with the Pretoria peace agreement, reached through mediation by the African Union. The agreement established a permanent ceasefire. The African Union still describes the agreement as the basis for peace, but says the seizure of the airports and the new military activities conflict with it.
International parties are urging restraint. The UN, the African Union, the European Union and the United Kingdom are calling for immediate de-escalation, the protection of civilians and free access for humanitarian organisations. The United Kingdom specifically condemned attacks by Tigrayan fighters, but at the same time called on all parties to end the violence.
A reliable overall picture is still lacking. AFP reported that the Ethiopian government gave a figure for TPLF fighters killed, but could not independently verify it; no verifiable figures were available for federal troops or civilians. It is clear, however, that the conflict is expanding geographically and that diplomatic pressure to prevent a new regional war is mounting rapidly.
One story, several perspectives
What is established
- Fighting has been taking place since 22 September 2026 in Tigray and the adjacent regions of Amhara and Afar.
- According to international organisations, the airports in Mekelle, Axum and Shire have been taken over by Tigrayan fighters.
- The 2022 Pretoria peace agreement is under severe pressure.
- The parties involved blame one another for the outbreak of the new fighting.
Left
Arguments The priority should be the protection of civilians, humanitarian access and international scrutiny of the conduct of all warring parties. A political solution must also address regional exclusion, displacement and impunity.
Values Human rights, international humanitarian law and the protection of vulnerable groups.
Consequences A military victory without accountability could trigger new cycles of revenge and displace large numbers of people once again.
Centre
Arguments The best course is an immediate ceasefire under African mediation, followed by talks within the framework of the Pretoria agreement. The international community should apply pressure without prematurely designating either party as the winner or legitimate government.
Values Institutional continuity, diplomacy, verifiable information and gradual political reform.
Consequences Pragmatic negotiations could prevent the conflict from spreading further, but could also temporarily allow uncomfortable power relations to persist.
Right
Arguments The Ethiopian state must defend its territorial integrity and authority over infrastructure. Armed movements seeking to oust the government must not be bolstered by foreign actors; disarmament and the maintenance of order are prerequisites for genuine stability.
Values National sovereignty, security, administrative order and restraint towards foreign interference.
Consequences Insufficient state authority could lead to a prolonged insurgency and regional instability, but a harsh military response could cause the peace process to collapse definitively.
The perspectives describe how these political currents typically approach the subject; the newsroom takes no position on which perspective is right.
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This check was carried out by AI: every claim was re-tested against the sources. Even an approved article can contain errors — stay critical.
The article’s core is confirmed by statements from the UN, the African Union and the EU, as well as independent reporting. Claims about the trigger and casualty figures are explicitly presented as disputed or unverifiable.
- confirmed Fighting broke out in Tigray, Amhara and Afar on 22 September 2026. — Human Rights Watch dates the new fighting to 22 September and names these three regions. source
- confirmed The airports in Mekelle, Axum and Shire were taken over by Tigrayan fighters. — This was reported by the UN, the African Union and the EU. source
- confirmed The parties blame one another for starting the escalation. — Al Jazeera describes conflicting statements by Tigrayan fighters and an adviser to Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed. source
- confirmed The Pretoria peace agreement was concluded in November 2022. — The African Union refers to the agreement of 2 November 2022. source
- confirmed Seven armed movements formed an alliance against the government. — AP and Al Jazeera reported the formation and named the main participants. source
- confirmed The Ethiopian government’s casualty figures could not be independently verified. — AFP writes that the stated number of TPLF fighters killed could not be independently verified. source
Editor's note
It is certain that fighting has taken place since 22 September in Tigray and adjacent regions and that three airports have been taken over. The trigger, scale of the fighting and casualty figures remain uncertain; independent access to the area is largely unavailable.Sources
- UN Secretary-General statement on Ethiopia — United Nations
- AUC Chairperson Calls For Utmost Restraint And Immediate De-Escalation In Northern Ethiopia — African Union
- Ethiopia: Statement by the Spokesperson on the situation in Northern Ethiopia — European External Action Service
- UK statement on escalation in northern Ethiopia: 24 September — UK Government
- Ethiopia: Renewed Tigray Fighting Shows Need to Protect Civilians — Human Rights Watch
- Tigray rebels in 'full-blown' war with govt — AFP
- Fighting widens across Ethiopia as Tigray clashes escalate — Al Jazeera
- Ethiopian opposition groups unite to mount challenge to prime minister Abiy — AP News
More on this in Dutch media
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