Airstrikes and Artillery Fire Hit Northern Ethiopia as Clashes Escalate in Tigray

Airstrikes and heavy artillery fire hit northern Ethiopia's Tigray region, killing at least 17 people northwest of the regional capital Mekelle. Air attacks left nine people dead in Adwa and eight others in Sheraro, according to a humanitarian bulletin. Federal government forces and fighters loyal to the Tigray People's Liberation Front exchanged artillery fire near the Tekeze River close to Mai Tsebri.

Regional Tensions

The fighting follows federal forces taking control of Mekelle over the weekend after Tigrayan forces left without a fight. Daily life in Mekelle has begun returning to normal with shops and communication services reopening. Meanwhile, analysts warn the clashes could widen into a larger conflict as Ethiopia accuses neighboring Eritrea, Sudan, and Egypt of supporting the armed opposition. Eritrea, Sudan, Egypt, and Somalia recently held a meeting to coordinate military and intelligence efforts if the violence spreads to shared borders.

Context

This renewed violence follows a devastating civil war in Tigray that lasted from 2020 to 2022 and caused hundreds of thousands of deaths. Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed recently emphasized the strategic need for landlocked Ethiopia to secure access to the sea for its economy.