In Shererina, near the Sudanese border, violence erupted between the Tigray People's Liberation Front and the Ethiopian army, drawing fears of a return to large-scale conflict. The fighting, reported to have begun Saturday and continued into Sunday, involved heavy weapons and drones, raising alarm among aid workers and residents.
The Tigray region had seen a civil war between the TPLF and the federal government, resulting in hundreds of thousands of deaths. A peace deal in 2022, brokered by the African Union, ended the war, but it remains unfulfilled. Now, with the TPLF back in control after ousting the interim administration, concerns are growing that the conflict may reignite.
The TPLF accused the federal government of violating the peace deal and attempting to 'subjugate and divide' the people. The federal government denied the claim, with Abraham Belay, a government minister, blaming the TPLF for instigating the conflict. Belay warned of 'worse consequences' if the fighting continued, urging dialogue to resolve disputes peacefully.
The situation on the ground
Sudanese medical sources and locals told AFP that civilians and wounded fighters were fleeing the area, with reports of explosions and gunfire throughout the day. Shererina, located in western Tigray, is strategically important due to ongoing disputes between Tigray and the neighboring Amhara region.
The TPLF-led administration has stated that the attacks on Saturday were an 'open war' and a clear violation of the peace deal. Federal forces have yet to release an official statement, but Belay confirmed through social media that clashes occurred and blamed the TPLF for starting the violence.
Possible regional implications
There are growing concerns that the conflict could become a proxy for the Sudanese civil war. Reports suggest that the warring factions in Sudan are supporting opposing sides in Ethiopia, deepening regional tensions. Both the TPLF and federal authorities have blamed each other, with no immediate resolution in sight.
Belay called for dialogue, emphasizing the need for peace over conflict. 'Today, it is better to reach out for peace before destruction,' he wrote, echoing calls for calm amid escalating violence.
As the situation develops, the international community is watching closely. The unimplemented peace agreement remains a source of tension, and the involvement of external actors in Sudan raises further stakes for the region.
Human rights concerns and international response
In response to the violent clashes in parts of Tigray – Ethiopia’s northern region – between Tigrayan forces and the Ethiopian National Defence Force (ENDF) on 1 August, Amnesty International’s Regional Director for East and Southern Africa Tigere Chagutah said: “The resumption of violence in Tigray region puts residents at renewed risk of human rights violations, even as communities continue to grapple with the devastating legacy of past atrocities without justice or accountability. The renewed fighting, combined with the ongoing armed conflicts in the Amhara and Oromia regions, where Amnesty International continues to document serious human rights violations and abuses, calls for urgent action to restore regional and international human rights investigative mechanisms in the country.
During the armed conflict in northern Ethiopia from November 2020 to November 2022 when the cessation of hostilities agreement was signed by the parties, Amnesty International documented grave human rights violations, including many that likely amounted to war crimes and crimes against humanity. Ethiopia must never normalize the absence of credible investigations and prosecution of perpetrators. Amnesty International calls on both Federal and Tigrayan authorities to respect and comply with international human rights standards including on the protection of civilians. We call on them to also allow unhindered access for independent human rights monitors and humanitarian actors. We renew our call on the international community to urgently engage with authorities in both Addis Ababa and Mekelle to restore access for independent media and human rights monitors across conflict-affected areas of Tigray.”}, {
Regional and international human rights monitoring in Ethiopia collapsed following the termination of mandates of key investigative mechanisms, including the UN International Commission of Human Rights Experts on Ethiopia (ICHREE) and the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights’ Commission of Inquiry on the Situation in the Tigray Region. This was followed by the Ethiopian government’s abandonment of the so-called transitional justice initiative, which it had relied upon to counter international accountability efforts in the country. Over the past two months, human rights organizations have documented a growing pattern of repressive measures by Tigrayan authorities, including the silencing of independent media, forced conscription campaigns affecting thousands of people, and restrictions on freedom of movement.