Heavy fighting broke out at dawn on Saturday in western Tigray near Sheraro, close to the Sudanese border, marking the most serious armed clash since the 2022 Pretoria peace agreement. The clashes, involving heavy artillery, were ongoing late into the day.
Tigray's regional government said federal forces opened the assault against Tigray Defence Forces positions. TPLF deputy chairman Amanuel Assefa confirmed the attacks to AFP. Abraham Belay, a government minister and former head of Tigray's transitional administration, acknowledged the clashes but accused TPLF chairman Debretsion Gebremichael's forces of initiating them. Ethiopia's military spokesperson did not respond to requests for comment.
The violence follows months of deteriorating relations, with both sides accusing each other of failing to implement the November 2022 ceasefire. Eritrea has again become involved in the conflict. Tigray's regional government urged its forces and civil society to prepare for what it called a struggle of "national survival." Analysts warned that without international intervention, the region could be heading toward a much larger war.