Fears of renewed conflict in Ethiopia’s Tigray region are growing after recent clashes between rival factions, raising concerns of a fresh war involving Ethiopia and Eritrea.
Analysts and residents warned on Thursday that escalating tensions threaten to unravel the fragile peace secured after the devastating 2020-2022 war, which claimed up to 600,000 lives.
The fighting follows growing disputes between Tigray’s interim leader, Getachew Reda, and the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) leader, Debretsion Gebremichael.
On Tuesday, forces loyal to Debretsion seized control of Adigrat, Tigray’s second-largest city, further stoking fears of wider conflict.
Getachew has accused rival factions within the Tigray Defence Forces of attempting to take control of the entire region.
Meanwhile, experts suggest Eritrea may use the chaos as an opportunity to launch military action.
“We have been close to a new conflict between Eritrea and Ethiopia for the past two years,” said Kjetil Tronvoll, a professor at Oslo University.
He warned that deteriorating relations between Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed and Eritrean President Isaias Afwerki could trigger another war.
International powers, including the United States, Britain, Japan, and the European Union, have urged all parties to de-escalate and commit to dialogue to prevent a return to violence.
The UN has also expressed deep concern, calling for urgent diplomatic efforts to stabilise the situation.
France has advised its citizens in Tigray to stock up on emergency supplies, citing heightened clashes in Adigrat and the regional capital, Mekele.
Relations between Ethiopia and Eritrea, historically fraught with conflict, have worsened since the end of the Tigray war in 2022.
Eritrea recently accused Ethiopia of waging an “intense campaign” against it, fuelling speculation that war could erupt at any moment.
Getachew’s administration has requested assistance from the Ethiopian government, though he insisted that the request was not military. However, Addis Ababa has yet to comment on the situation.
