A major military escalation is underway in northern Ethiopia after Tigrayan forces seized three airports and clashed with federal troops in neighboring regions.
The Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) said Thursday that the situation had become a “full-blown war” with Ethiopia’s federal government.
The development marks the most serious escalation in the region since the 2022 agreement that ended the two-year Tigray conflict.
Three airports taken over
Tigrayan forces reportedly took control of airports in Mekelle, Axum and Shire on Wednesday.
Following the takeover, Ethiopian Airlines suspended flights to the three airports, disrupting air connections to the Tigray region.
The fighting has also spread beyond Tigray, with clashes reported in parts of Afar and Amhara.
Sources reported fighting around Abala and Erebti in Afar, while further clashes were reported along the Tigray-Amhara border.
Conflicting reports on casualties
The Ethiopian army said it had killed 272 Tigrayan fighters and wounded 260 others during operations in Amhara.
Those figures remain unverified independently, making it difficult to establish the full scale of casualties from the latest fighting.
Tigrayan authorities have also reported fighting on multiple fronts as government forces and allied armed groups respond to the offensive.
Peace deal faces new test
The latest violence threatens to undermine the peace arrangement reached in 2022 after the Tigray war.
The conflict between federal forces and Tigrayan forces from 2020 to 2022 caused extensive deaths and displacement. The African Union has estimated that more than 600,000 people died during the conflict.
The current escalation follows months of political and military tensions in northern Ethiopia.
Conflict-monitoring organization ACLED said the latest fighting has opened multiple fronts and represents a significant escalation from the lower-intensity clashes seen earlier in the year.
Eritrea remains a major concern
The renewed violence has also increased fears of a wider regional confrontation involving Eritrea.
Ethiopia and Eritrea have experienced renewed tensions, while accusations involving support for armed groups have added to concerns about possible regional spillover.
The developments are being closely watched across the Horn of Africa as fighting continues and calls for de-escalation grow.
