Clashes have erupted once more on Ethiopia’s volatile northern front, with officials in the Afar region accusing forces from neighbouring Tigray of launching a new offensive and seizing communities near the border, reviving fears that the country could be sliding back toward a wider conflict.
Afar authorities say Tigrayan fighters entered six villages in Megale district and used heavy artillery against pastoralist communities, warning that the region’s security forces “will respond decisively” if the attacks continue.
But the Tigray interim administration dismissed the allegations as politically motivated and said Afar militias have repeatedly crossed into Tigray, including in areas where displacement remains high and state administration is fragile. They also claim the accusations are part of a wider campaign by federal allies to criminalize Tigrayan forces since the 2022 ceasefire.
A humanitarian worker familiar with the situation confirmed that fighting did take place this week, though said gunfire had quieted by Wednesday evening. “There are displaced families, but we don’t have verified casualty figures yet,” the source said.
The new flare-up underscores how unresolved grievances remain two years after Ethiopia’s civil war ended — a war that U.S. and European diplomats estimate killed between 500,000 and 600,000 people, one of the deadliest conflicts of the century so far.
Analysts say Ethiopia’s political environment has deteriorated for months. “This country has not been at peace since the Pretoria accord,” said Kjetil Tronvoll, professor at Oslo New University College. “There are multiple active fault lines across regions, and the Tigray–Afar border is one of them.”
The TPLF — which once dominated Ethiopian politics — was banned from political activity in May. Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed has repeatedly accused the group of re-arming, and last month his government froze more than 2 billion birrs (about $13 million) in federal budget support to Tigray, alleging that funds were being diverted to refuel military structures. Abiy told lawmakers such funds mismanagement “only prolongs instability and keeps civilians trapped.”
Meanwhile, humanitarian agencies say more than one million people in Tigray remain displaced, food insecurity is acute across the region, and basic services like electricity and health care remain inconsistent.
With fragile peace already under strain, the latest border confrontation raises fears that Ethiopia — still battling insurgencies in Amhara and Oromia — could be heading toward a multi-front crisis if national mediation efforts fail again.
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Source:Africa Publicity
