Tigray Violence Forces Refugees into Sudan as Ethiopia Peace Deal Comes Under Threat

Hundreds of civilians and wounded fighters have fled Ethiopia's Tigray region into neighbouring Sudan following deadly clashes between Ethiopian federal forces and the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF), raising fears that the fragile 2022 peace agreement could collapse.

The fighting erupted over the weekend in the Shererina area of northern Tigray, with both sides reportedly using heavy artillery and drones. Although the violence had eased by Sunday evening, tensions remain high along the Ethiopia-Sudan border.

The TPLF accused the Ethiopian military of launching a large-scale offensive and escalating the conflict, while both sides have traded blame for the renewed fighting. Federal troops and Tigrayan forces have been building up their presence along the border for months, increasing concerns of another full-scale war.

The conflict has also affected neighbouring Sudan, where residents near the border reported hearing explosions and continuous gunfire. Drone and artillery strikes were said to have hit areas close to refugee camps sheltering thousands of displaced people, although the number of casualties has not been confirmed.

The United Nations refugee agency (UNHCR) has expressed concern over the deteriorating security situation and its impact on refugees and border communities.

The latest violence comes less than four years after Ethiopia's devastating Tigray war ended with a peace agreement in November 2022. The conflict claimed hundreds of thousands of lives, displaced more than one million people, and caused widespread destruction across the region.

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