Tigray, Ethiopia (Running Africa) – Concerns are growing in Ethiopia over the possibility of renewed conflict in the northern Tigray region, with government officials warning that the fragile peace established after the devastating 2022 ceasefire could be under threat.
In an editorial published this week, senior Ethiopian officials, including the country’s intelligence chief and minister for African affairs, alleged that the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) is preparing for a new military confrontation against the federal government, reportedly with support from neighboring Eritrea.
The government claimed meetings between TPLF and Eritrean officials have taken place in Asmara, Mekelle, and Sudan. The TPLF has denied maintaining close ties with Eritrea.
The warning comes amid rising tensions following clashes reported late last year, raising fears of a return to violence after the two-year Tigray war, one of Africa’s deadliest conflicts in recent history. The war is estimated to have claimed more than 600,000 lives before a peace agreement was signed in 2022.
Addis Ababa has also accused the TPLF of breaching the terms of the peace deal by dismantling the interim regional administration and reinstating a regional parliament in April, moves the federal government considers unlawful. Although the TPLF remains banned from formal political activity, it continues to wield significant influence across Tigray and retains its own armed forces.
The Ethiopian government urged regional and international partners to increase pressure on both the TPLF and Eritrea to prevent a return to war, warning that renewed hostilities could destabilize the wider Horn of Africa.
Tigray remains deeply scarred by years of conflict. Before the war, the region was home to approximately six million people. Today, around one million residents remain displaced, while recovery efforts continue to be hampered by economic challenges and reduced federal funding.
The region also did not participate in Ethiopia’s national elections held on June 1, elections widely expected to return Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed to power.
As tensions continue to mount, fears are growing that any collapse of the 2022 peace agreement could plunge Ethiopia back into a conflict with far-reaching humanitarian and regional consequences.
