Shererina, Ethiopia (Running Africa) — Hundreds of civilians have fled Ethiopia’s northern Tigray region into neighboring Sudan after heavy fighting erupted between Tigrayan forces and the Ethiopian National Defense Force (ENDF) near the shared border, raising fears of a renewed conflict in the Horn of Africa.
The clashes, which began on Saturday in Shererina, involved heavy artillery, drone strikes and sustained exchanges of gunfire, marking one of the most serious escalations since the 2022 Pretoria Peace Agreement ended Ethiopia’s devastating Tigray war.
The renewed violence has triggered fresh humanitarian concerns as families cross into Sudan seeking safety from the fighting.
Federal Government and TPLF Trade Blame
Both the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) and Ethiopia’s federal government have accused each other of initiating the latest clashes.
Neither side’s claims has been independently verified.
The confrontation follows months of rising political and military tensions despite the peace agreement that formally ended the 2020–2022 Tigray conflict.
Fragile Peace Deal Faces Renewed Pressure
The African Union-brokered Pretoria Agreement, signed in 2022, ended a civil war that claimed hundreds of thousands of lives and displaced millions across northern Ethiopia.
However, several key provisions of the agreement, including disarmament, governance arrangements and broader political reconciliation, remain unresolved.
Analysts warn that the latest fighting highlights the fragility of the peace process and could undermine efforts to stabilize the region.
Concerns Grow Over Regional Escalation
The renewed violence comes after the TPLF regained control of Tigray by removing the interim administration established under the peace agreement, further heightening tensions with the federal government.
Observers are also raising concerns that the conflict could become increasingly intertwined with Sudan’s ongoing civil war, amid allegations that rival Sudanese factions are supporting opposing sides in Ethiopia.
If confirmed, such involvement could further complicate an already volatile security situation along the Ethiopia-Sudan border.
Civilians Cross Into Sudan as Humanitarian Fears Mount
The full number of casualties remains unclear, but witnesses reported intense shelling, explosions and airstrikes as civilians and wounded fighters fled toward Sudan.
The latest displacement adds to an already severe humanitarian crisis affecting communities in northern Ethiopia, many of whom are still recovering from the devastating consequences of the previous war.
Aid organizations and regional observers have warned that continued fighting risks triggering another large-scale humanitarian emergency unless both sides return to dialogue and fully implement the outstanding provisions of the Pretoria Peace Agreement.
