Ethiopian Army Claims 272 Tigray Rebels Killed in Amhara Clashes

Ethiopia's army says it has repelled attacks by Tigrayan forces in the Amhara region, claiming 272 rebels were killed, as the TPLF declares a state of full-blown war and seizes control of three airports in Tigray.

Outbreak of Fighting

Fighting broke out on Wednesday in an area of Amhara close to the Tigray border. [2] The Ethiopian army says it has repelled attacks from Tigrayan forces and their allies in parts of the north of the country. [2] Ethiopian government forces have killed 272 rebels from the Tigray region after they launched an offensive in the neighboring Amhara region, according to the Ethiopian military. [1] The Ethiopian National Defense Forces said in a statement that government forces responded with a counter-offensive that caused heavy losses in people. [1] The army said hostilities began in an area of Amhara region close to the border with Tigray, adding that its soldiers had inflicted heavy casualties and seized weapons. [2] There are unconfirmed reports that TPLF forces have launched attacks in the neighbouring regions of Afar and Amhara. [2] A humanitarian source in Afar told AFP news agency on Thursday that Tigrayan forces had launched heavy artillery attacks as they attempted to take control of the town of Yallo, near the border with Tigray. [2] "We are in the situation of full-blown war now," TPLF vice-president Amanuel Assefa is quoted by the news agency as saying. [2] The TPLF has not commented on the army's claims and the BBC has not been able to independently verify the army's claims. [2]

Tigrayan Seizure of Airports

Ethiopian soldiers patrol near the Amhara-Tigray border during clashes with Tigrayan forces. — Source: bbc On Wednesday, the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF), which dominates the region, seized control of three airports from federal police. [2] The exchange began after the rebel forces in Tigray in northern Ethiopia took control of the airport, compelling the state-owned carrier to cancel flights to the troubled region. [3] Following the seizure of the airports, Ethiopian Airlines has cancelled all flights to Tigray. [2] Residents of Tigray's main city of Mekelle told the BBC that local forces had taken over control of the city's airport from the national police early on Wednesday. [2] This followed reports of drone strikes in Tigray in recent days. [2] A Mekelle resident told the BBC's Newsday programme on Thursday there had been no clashes in the city, unlike in the previous war, with most fighting happening elsewhere. [2] "Mekelle is calm, except the stress from the people," said the resident, only identified as Fitsum for his safety. [2]

Formation of Opposition Alliance

On Sunday, the TPLF announced an alliance with six other armed groups to oust the government. [2] These developments come only days after seven opposition groups, including the Tigray People's Liberation Front, allied to remove Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed and his government. [3] The coalition identified itself as the Ethiopian Peoples' Forces Alliance for Survival. [3] Its members are the Amhara Fano National Movement, the Oromo Liberation Army, the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF), the Ogaden National Liberation Front, the Afar Revolutionary Democratic Unity Front, the Benishangul Peoples' Liberation Movement and the Gumuz Peoples' Democratic Movement. [3] TPLF spokesman Michael Asgedom said his group's cooperation with other opposition factions was political and military. [3] "Joint military operations may become necessary to achieve the objective of removing the dictatorial regime," he had said. [3]

Competing Accusations of Responsibility

Ethiopian army claims to have killed 272 Tigray rebels in Amhara clashes. — Source: france24 The Ethiopian government and the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF), the party which controls the northern region of Tigray, on Wednesday, accused each other of launching offensives a day after the reported gunfire in Tonsa, in the Afar Region, near the Tigray border. [3] The Tigray army argued that it was responding to a "full-scale offensive along multiple fronts" by the government of Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed. [3] Ethiopian media reported that the action had followed several government drone strikes on Tigray state. [3] However, the government insisted that the TPLF launched an "all-out offensive" against government positions in the northern states of Afar and Amhara. [3] According to Ethiopia's minister adviser on East African affairs, Getachew Reda, "the TPLF politico-military leadership has obviously taken irresponsibility to new heights." [3] Both sides have accused the other of triggering the latest escalation. [5] Tigrayan authorities say they are responding to attacks by federal forces, while the federal government has described the Tigrayan military action as an offensive. [5]

Context of the 2020-2022 War

The latest escalation follows months of rising tensions between Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed's government and Tigray authorities, who fought a devastating war from 2020 to 2022. [2] That ended in an African Union-brokered peace deal but over recent months both sides have been accusing each other of violating the agreement. [2] It was one of the most deadly conflicts this century - the AU's mediator estimated some 600,000 people died as the fighting drove the region to the precipice of famine. [2] The leaders of the TPLF fought federal authorities in the deadly armed conflict in northern Ethiopia that led to the death of over 500,000 people. [3] The conflict ended with the signing of a peace accord in November 2022. [3] Tigray rebels in Ethiopia told AFP on Thursday they were in a state of "full-blown war" with the federal government, as heavy artillery attacks were reported in neighbouring states. [4] Tensions have been rising for months between the federal government and the authorities in the northern Tigray state, who fought a devastating civil war in 2020-2022 that killed more than 600,000 people, according to African Union estimates. [4] When asked whether the TPLF's participation in the alliance violated the 2022 peace agreement, Mr Asgedom said that accord was "no longer valid." [3]

International Reactions and Humanitarian Concerns

The US, on Wednesday, said it was deeply concerned by this escalation and called for the initiation of constructive dialogue to prevent further violence. [3] It also urged its citizens to stay cautious "until it is safe to leave." [3] A Mekelle resident told the BBC's Newsday programme on Thursday there had been no clashes in the city, unlike in the previous war, with most fighting happening elsewhere. [2] "Mekelle is calm, except the stress from the people," said the resident, only identified as Fitsum for his safety. [2] He added that the biggest problem was economic, with people not having enough cash. [2] "People are in a mood where they are distressed because it's been so difficult, so tough. The last seven or eight months the government has been denying budgets to the civil servants and all the banks were running out of cash." [2] Fitsum said people had been relying on mobile banking but with the risk of communications being cut off, "people are going to be in grave danger because there is almost no cash". [2] With the outbreak of war, people were limiting their movements and the city was all quiet - "it's like a curfew has been placed," he told the BBC. [2]

What to watch next: The US call for constructive dialogue will be monitored alongside any further moves by the Ethiopian Peoples' Forces Alliance for Survival toward joint military operations.