Renewed fighting in Tigray as TPLF-led militia alliance battles Ethiopian forces
Federal troops have resumed combat with a rebel alliance led by the Tigray People’s Liberation Front in Ethiopia’s Tigray region, reviving the 2020‑22 civil war. The alliance, now organized as the Ethiopian Peoples’ Forces Alliance for Survival, brings together seven anti‑government militias under TPLF command. Field Marshal Birhanu Jula has alleged that Eritrea, Sudan and Egypt are providing support to the TPLF, a claim the three states have denied. Analysts note that the conflict is entangled with regional rivalries, including the Sudan war and Gulf‑state competition for influence in the Horn of Africa.
Why it matters
The renewed clash risks drawing neighboring countries into Ethiopia’s civil war, further destabilising an already volatile region.
How this story developed
- Sep 23 Tigrayan forces capture Mekelle airport, prompting Ethiopian Airlines to halt regional flights
- Sep 23 Ethiopian Airlines posted a flight suspension following the reported airport seizure.
- Oct 2 A seven-group coalition headed by the TPLF has clashed with Ethiopia’s army in the north, while neighboring states and Gulf powers are accused of backing opposite sides.
- Oct 3 TPLF forces are withdrawing from Mekelle as federal troops advance toward the capital.
- Oct 4 A new coalition of seven anti‑government militias under the TPLF has been formed.
- Oct 5 Federal troops and pro‑government militias entered Mekelle following the TPLF’s announced withdrawal.
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