Fighting Erupts in Tigray Breaking 2022 Ceasefire

Hundreds of civilians have fled their homes following the most serious fighting in Tigray since 2022. Clashes broke out on Saturday between the Ethiopian federal government and the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF), spanning from the Humera border town with Sudan in the north to Shererina in the south. Residents reported hearing mortar shelling and machine gun fire throughout the day.

According to an Ethiopian military source, the conflict began when Tigrayian fighters known as Army 70 crossed from Sudan into Ethiopia near the village of Legudi. This force reportedly displaced farmers and looted properties before being pushed back by the federal military. In response, the TPLF leadership stated that federal forces launched attacks on their positions in Shererina using drones and heavy artillery, which they described as a direct violation of the 2022 Pretoria ceasefire agreement.

The Ethiopian military has since established checkpoints and movement restrictions around Humera city. Meanwhile, civilians in southern Tigray fled toward Raya Kobo, Woldiya, and Dessie due to visible military build ups. The TPLF claims its actions were in defense of the region and that the government failed to withdraw non federal forces from Western Tigray. Conversely, a former government official stated that the TPLF is responsible for the collapse of security arrangements by rebuilding military structures outside the peace framework.

While center leaning coverage focuses on the immediate humanitarian impact of the displacement, center left leaning coverage frames the event as an ominous sign of a potential regional war involving Sudan, Eritrea, Egypt, and the United Arab Emirates.