Intense fighting between Ethiopian federal forces and Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF) fighters near the Sudanese border has subsided after almost 24 hours, according to local and security sources.

The clashes began early Saturday morning around 6:00 am in Shererina, a village in western Tigray, and continued until approximately 5:00 am on Sunday. Both sides reportedly engaged heavy artillery, mechanized units, and drones during the confrontation.

A TPLF member, speaking anonymously, confirmed to AFP that the situation had de-escalated following the fighting. A separate security source also verified the cessation of hostilities, though details on casualties or damage remain unclear.

Conflicting Claims on Who Initiated the Fighting

  • The TPLF deputy leader, Amanuel Assefa, accused the Ethiopian federal government of launching the attack against Tigrayan forces in Shererina.
  • The Tigray regional administration in Mekelle claimed federal forces advanced on Shererina before initiating the assault at dawn, citing a blockade and drone strikes as precursors to the renewed violence.
  • Conversely, Abraham Belay, a government minister with ties to Tigray's transitional administration, attributed the start of hostilities to forces loyal to TPLF chairman Debretsion Gebremichael.

The Ethiopian federal government has not issued an official statement regarding the incident as of this report, and independent verification of claims from both sides remains unavailable.

Context and Concerns

The renewed clashes occurred in western Tigray, an area under the administration of Amhara regional nationalists, a region contested since the end of the 2020-2022 Tigray war. Control over this territory has been a persistent source of tension between federal and Tigrayan authorities.

Despite the 2022 Pretoria peace agreement that formally ended the conflict, military deployments and accusations of preparations for renewed fighting have increased in northern Tigray in recent months.

The African Union estimates that the previous war resulted in at least 600,000 deaths. The recent fighting raises fears of a potential return to large-scale conflict, threatening the fragile peace in the region.