Key facts
- The UK condemned attacks by Tigray Defence Forces in Afar and southern Tigray.
- Tigrayan forces seized control of federally administered airports in Tigray.
- The renewed conflict risks devastating consequences for people in Tigray and across the region.
- The UK called for an immediate end to hostilities and a return to dialogue under African Union-led mediation.
- The UK rejected the Alliance for Survival coalition's stated aim to overthrow Ethiopia's government.
- A strike in the southern town of Alamata killed at least 14 people and injured 22 others.
The UK has condemned recent attacks by Tigray Defence Forces in Ethiopia's Afar and southern Tigray regions, as well as the takeover of Tigray's airports, urging all parties to refrain from further escalation. A UK government spokesperson stated that the renewed conflict risks devastating consequences for civilians and called for an immediate end to hostilities and a return to dialogue under African Union-led mediation.
Ethiopia's government and the party controlling the northern region of Tigray have accused each other of launching offensives, fueling fears of a return to full-scale conflict. Getachew Reda, an adviser to Ethiopia's prime minister, said Tigrayan fighters had taken control of federally administered airports in Tigray and launched offensives in neighboring Afar and Amhara regions. Residents of Mekelle, Tigray's main city, reported that local forces had taken over control of the city's airport. Ethiopian Airlines has canceled all flights to Tigray following the airport seizures.
The Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF) announced an alliance with six other armed groups in Ethiopia to remove the government in Addis Ababa. The conflict, which ended in 2022 after an estimated 600,000 deaths, has seen both sides accuse each other of violating the peace deal in recent months. On Tuesday, a strike in the southern town of Alamata killed at least 14 people and injured 22 others, according to Tigrayan authorities, who accused federal forces of carrying out the strikes.
The chairperson of the Africa Union Commission called for an immediate de-escalation and for both sides to resume talks. The US ambassador to Ethiopia condemned the TPLF for launching a large-scale offensive, describing it as an "unwinnable fight". The UK also rejected the Alliance for Survival coalition's stated aim to overthrow Ethiopia's government and urged all sides to pursue dialogue and a peaceful political solution, emphasizing the need to protect civilians and ensure humanitarian access.