Renewed fighting has erupted in northern Ethiopia after the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF) announced that it had launched an offensive against the Ethiopian National Defense Force (ENDF), raising fears of a return to full-scale conflict nearly four years after the Pretoria peace agreement.

In a statement, the TPLF said its armed wing had launched military operations against the Ethiopian army, claiming that federal forces had simultaneously carried out a large-scale offensive from multiple directions using infantry units, mechanized formations, drones and air power.

The group said its fighters had engaged in intense clashes to repel the Ethiopian army's offensive before launching counterattacks against army positions.

The Ethiopian federal government has not yet commented on the TPLF's latest claims.

Fighting between TPLF and Ethiopian army intensifies

According to local media reports, clashes have been reported in parts of the Tigray, Afar and Amhara regions as fighting escalates between the Ethiopian army and TPLF forces.

Former head of Tigray's interim administration and current federal government adviser Getachew Reda accused the TPLF leadership of launching a large-scale offensive against government positions in the Afar and Amhara regions, saying the group's actions threatened the fragile peace established under the Pretoria Agreement.

The renewed violence follows reports that TPLF forces seized control of Alula Aba Nega International Airport in Mekelle, the capital of the Tigray region, further escalating tensions in northern Ethiopia.

In response to the deteriorating security situation, Ethiopian Airlines suspended flights to Mekelle, Axum and Shire from September 23 until further notice.

International calls for restraint

United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres expressed deep concern over the rapidly deteriorating security situation in northern Ethiopia and urged all parties to exercise maximum restraint, reduce tensions and return to dialogue in line with the Pretoria Agreement signed in November 2022.

The African Union also called on all sides to avoid further escalation, stressing that the Pretoria Cessation of Hostilities Agreement remains the cornerstone of the peace process in northern Ethiopia.

The renewed hostilities have heightened fears of a broader conflict, with reports indicating that residents in Mekelle have begun stockpiling food, cash and other essential supplies amid concerns that the fighting could expand.

The conflict between the Ethiopian federal government and the TPLF, which began in 2020, killed hundreds of thousands of people and displaced millions before the Pretoria Agreement ended large-scale fighting in November 2022. The latest clashes have raised fresh concerns that the fragile peace process could be at risk. (ILKHA)