Ethiopia’s federal military is managing escalating tensions in the northern region with restraint, according to military officials, despite mounting international concerns over a potential return to full-scale civil war across the Horn of Africa country. Addressing recent military escalations, Army Chief of Staff Field Marshal Berhanu Jula asserted that armed forces are maintaining composure amidst regional friction.
“Wisdom and restraint,” said Field Marshal Berhanu Jula, Army Chief of Staff, regarding the military’s response to actions by the Tigray front.
The renewed fighting follows the formation of a new rebel alliance, the Ethiopian Peoples’ Forces Alliance for Survival, which brings together seven armed groups committed to removing Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s government. Clashes have since spread from Tigray into the neighboring Afar and Amhara regions, heavily straining the 2022 Pretoria Agreement that previously ended a brutal two-year civil war.
Clashes Spread Beyond Tigray
In the Afar region, recent battles have centered around Abala, where the military has attempted to prevent rebel forces from seizing control. Meanwhile, in North Wollo-an Amhara zone bordering Tigray-the army reported neutralizing hundreds of combatants during a counter-offensive. Independent verification of these battlefield figures remains limited as communications and internet access have experienced disruptions across northern Ethiopia.
The Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) leadership has characterized the developments differently, claiming that the federal government initiated a full-scale offensive utilizing infantry, mechanized units, and drones. TPLF officials stated that the situation has escalated into an active war.
Regional Accusations and International Concern
Army Chief Field Marshal Berhanu alleged that neighboring Eritrea is funding and supporting armed groups to destabilize Ethiopia. Eritrea has denied these accusations. Meanwhile, the United Nations, the African Union, and international leaders have urged immediate de-escalation, maximum restraint, and a recommitment to the peace framework established by the Pretoria Agreement.
As transportation links, including flights operated by Ethiopian Airlines, face temporary suspensions due to the security situation, civilians in the region have expressed growing anxiety over potential humanitarian impacts, supply shortages, and a return to prolonged conflict.
