Ethiopia: after fighting in Tigray, residents flee to Sudan

The clashes took place near the Sudanese border, in western Tigray. Residents on the Sudanese side indicated that they heard explosions and heavy gunfire for several hours.

According to a medical source at the border, wounded fighters were transported to the Sudanese locality of al-Hashaba, about 15 kilometers from the combat zone. This area already hosts thousands of people displaced by the previous Tigray war.

Local and security sources reported that the clashes began around 6:00 AM on Saturday and continued until about 5:00 PM. The TPLF accused federal authorities of launching a “large infantry offensive,” while no official reaction from the government was available, making it difficult to accurately identify the forces involved.

A Disputed Area

The fighting occurred in western Tigray, a contested territory administered by nationalists from the neighboring Amhara region. Militias are also present in this area, where territorial and political rivalries remain particularly intense.

The resurgence of violence comes as Ethiopian authorities and the TPLF have been accusing each other for several days of preparing for a new confrontation. Last week, the Ethiopian People’s Revolutionary Party, an opposition group, accused the federal government of pushing Tigray towards a new conflict.

The war fought in Tigray between 2020 and 2022 pitted federal forces and their allies against the TPLF. According to the African Union, it caused around 600,000 deaths, including direct victims of the fighting and those related to shortages and displacement.

The peace agreement signed in November 2022 ended the main hostilities, but did not resolve all territorial and political issues. The new clashes reported near the Sudanese border occur as displaced populations continue to live in precarious conditions in this region.