Authorities in Ethiopia's northern Tigray region declared on Friday that they are in a state of "full-blown war" with the federal government, marking a dramatic collapse of the fragile peace established under the November 2022 Pretoria Agreement and raising international fears of a return to catastrophic conflict in the Horn of Africa.
Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF) Vice President Amanuel Assefa confirmed the formal declaration, asserting that the Tigray Defense Forces (TDF) are conducting defensive military operations to counter what regional authorities characterized as systemic aggression and encirclement by federal security services.
Coordinated Offensive and Capture of Strategic Airports
The escalation follows the surprise military mobilization by the newly established Ethiopian Peoples' Forces Alliance for Survival, an umbrella coalition comprising seven armed opposition factions and regional groups formed to contest the administration of Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed.
During early operations, Tigrayan forces successfully seized operational control of three primary airports across the region—located in Mekelle, Aksum, and Shire. In response to the loss of air traffic control and ground infrastructure, national carrier Ethiopian Airlines immediately announced the indefinite suspension of all commercial flight routes into the Tigray region.
Cross-Border Fighting Across Amhara and Afar Frontlines
Heavy fighting and long-range artillery duels rapidly expanded beyond Tigray's regional boundaries, engulfing frontier sectors in the neighboring Amhara and Afar regions. Clashes were reported in North Wollo and the strategic Yallo border district, displacing hundreds of residents and prompting emergency alerts across regional administrative centers.
Federal military spokespersons in Addis Ababa forcefully rejected Tigrayan claims of self-defense, characterizing the operations as an unprovoked all-out offensive against established national defense positions. The Ethiopian National Defense Force (ENDF) stated that federal units had repelled initial thrusts, claiming that 272 Tigrayan combatants were killed and approximately 260 wounded during opening engagements in North Wollo.
Humanitarian Concerns and Regional Geopolitics
International observers, including the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) and humanitarian monitors, issued urgent appeals for an immediate cessation of hostilities. Relief agencies warned that renewed armed confrontation threatens to sever fragile aid corridors, potentially triggering acute food shortages reminiscent of the devastating two-year war from 2020 to 2022 that claimed hundreds of thousands of lives.
Diplomatic envoys in the region warned that the involvement of allied militia factions and cross-regional movements risks destabilizing the wider Horn of Africa. Comprehensive analysis and ongoing reporting on global conflicts are available on PakPulse247 News.