Ethiopia accuses Eritrea and Sudan of backing Tigray rebels in renewed clashes in most dangerous countries

Ethiopia's army commander accused Eritrea and Sudan of backing Tigray People's Liberation Front rebels as heavy clashes resumed in northern Ethiopia, while separate conflicts escalated in Yemen with airstrikes killing at least seven and Iran claimed to capture a second US autonomous underwater vehicle in the Strait of Hormuz, underscoring tensions across some of the most dangerous countries. Heavy clashes have resumed between the TPLF and Ethiopian federal forces since Wednesday, with the TPLF seizing airports, advancing in Afar after capturing Erebti, and launching attacks into Amhara, displacing at least 150,000 people. [1]

Resumed Fighting in Northern Ethiopia

Heavy clashes have resumed between the TPLF and Ethiopian federal forces since Wednesday. The TPLF has seized airports and launched attacks into the neighbouring states of Afar and Amhara. A humanitarian source said the Afar town of Erebti, near the border with Tigray, fell to the rebels on Sunday after being pounded by heavy artillery. The TPLF was now advancing towards the town of Afdeera, some 100 kilometres to the east. The source estimated that at least 150,000 people have been displaced in Afar. The headquarters of Tigrai TV in Mekelle was hit by a drone on Sunday. A journalist from the station said they heard a loud bang from a drone strike and fled the building. Photos showed the Tigrai TV building facade damaged and blackened, with numerous windows blown out. Another journalist said the station was off-air after the attack. The federal government in Addis Ababa said on September 21 that Tigrai TV had been suspended indefinitely. Communications have been limited since Friday when telecoms providers reported major disruption to phone and internet services in Tigray. [1]

Ethiopian Accusations Against Neighbors

Ethiopian army chief Field Marshal Birhanu Jula stated that the TPLF is allied with external forces including Eritrea, Sudan, and Egypt. He said on the army's YouTube channel: "We are fighting forces that are organised and allied to serve the interests of external forces. Neither Shaebia nor the TPLF can achieve anything alone, even if they are allied, unless they are backed, supported and supplied by Sudan, Egypt and other external powers." The TPLF has allied with seven armed groups around the country and appears to be repeating a strategy from the last war of pushing south through Amhara towards Addis Ababa. Its offensive in Afar is aimed at cutting supplies from Djibouti. [1]

Yemen Airstrikes Kill Civilians and Fighters

In Yemen, at least seven people were killed and 40 wounded in airstrikes on a market in Taiz province. Houthi-run Al-Masirah TV said that warplanes struck shops at the Central Market in Al-Ta'iziyah district, describing the casualties as civilians and blaming Saudi Arabia for the attack. Yemeni government forces gave a different account, saying their warplanes launched strikes targeting a Houthi military camp and armored vehicles in the same area. A military source aligned with the Yemeni government said the strikes hit what was believed to be a Houthi military camp, sending columns of smoke into the air and triggering secondary explosions. Fighting between Yemeni government forces and the Houthi group has intensified across southwestern Yemen recently after the group seized the strategic port city of Mocha and Mayyun Island in the Bab al-Mandab Strait earlier this month. [2]

Iran Captures US Underwater Vehicle

Iran's IRGC claimed to have captured a second American Mk 18 Mod 2 Kingfish autonomous underwater vehicle in the Strait of Hormuz. Spokesperson for the IRGC, Brigadier General Hossein Mohebbi said the Strait of Hormuz is not only open, but a hunting ground for the IRGC Navy targeting American submarines. He added that this was the IRGC's second catch, claiming that the captured US submarine is the Mk 18 Mod 2 Kingfish, an advanced, autonomous AUV equipped with sonar and precise navigation, worth several million dollars. He stated it is not just a hunt but an intelligence windfall. [3]

Risk of Wider Regional Escalation in Most Dangerous Countries

The 2020-2022 civil war in which an estimated 600,000 people died raised fears of a return to full conflict. United Nations chief Antonio Guterres raised the alarm on Friday, with his spokesman saying Guterres was particularly troubled by reports of the use of drones as well as incidents of harm to civilians. The government has a significant military advantage, with a large arsenal of drones, some 500,000 troops, and support from abroad, notably the United Arab Emirates. The conflict could draw in neighbouring Eritrea on the side of the rebels, as it fears landlocked Ethiopia has been planning to invade and seize a direct point of access to the Red Sea. The Pretoria Peace Agreement of 2022 maintained an uneasy calm until last year but was never fully implemented, leaving around one million people unable to return to their homes. Sporadic clashes then resumed, with the federal forces launching multiple drone strikes in Tigray in recent months and massing troops at the border. [1]

What to watch next: The TPLF offensive in Afar aimed at cutting supplies from Djibouti, continued Houthi-government fighting in southwestern Yemen after seizures of Mocha and Mayyun Island, and further IRGC statements on US underwater vehicles in the Strait of Hormuz.