Tension Escalates in Ethiopia’s Tigray Region: Risks of Renewed Conflict
The Tigray region of Ethiopia is experiencing increasing tensions, with experts warning of potential conflict between Ethiopia and Eritrea. Reports indicate instability following a two-year civil war ending in 2022. A divided Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) intensifies fears of renewed violence and the potential humanitarian consequences of a new conflict.
Tensions are escalating in Ethiopia’s Tigray region, with reports indicating a potential war involving Ethiopia and Eritrea. A source informed ACI Africa on March 15 that officials have not yet received confirmation from Church leaders regarding the situation’s instability, suggesting that cancelled flights mark the rising unrest.
Following a two-year civil war, which concluded in November 2022 with a peace agreement, the region has witnessed a resurgence of instability. General Tsadkan Gebretensae, a vice president in Tigray’s interim administration, warned about the imminent risk of conflict between Ethiopia and Eritrea in an interview with The Africa Report.
Central to this renewed fear of violence is the internal divide within the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF), which previously combated the Ethiopian federal army. The split in TPLF last year has resulted in factions forming differing views on governance and loyalty, further complicating the region’s fragile peace.
On March 11, a TPLF dissident faction captured the town of Adigrat, accused the regional leadership of betraying Tigrayan interests, and took control of various strategic sites, including a radio station in Mekelle. Getachew Reda, head of Tigray’s interim administration, has sought assistance from the Ethiopian government against the dissidents while alleging external influences, particularly claiming Eritrea aims to benefit from turmoil in Tigray.
Concerns about further conflict could have severe impacts, potentially reversing the peace achieved under Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, who received the Nobel Peace Prize in 2019 for this very reconciliation. Should hostilities resume, experts have warned that the consequences would lead to another humanitarian crisis amid already strained aid efforts across the Horn of Africa.
The situation in Ethiopia’s Tigray region remains precarious, with indicators of potential conflict between Ethiopia and Eritrea. The split within the TPLF complicates governance and raises the specter of renewed violence. Without decisive action and cooperation, the fragile peace achieved in recent years risks collapse, potentially exacerbating the humanitarian crises already affecting the Horn of Africa.
Original Source: www.catholicnewsagency.com
