Ethiopia’s army commander has accused Sudan and Egypt of supporting armed groups fighting government forces in northern Ethiopia, as heavy clashes between the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) and federal forces raise fears of a renewed civil war.
Field Marshal Birhanu Jula said on Sunday that Ethiopian forces were fighting groups allegedly organised and supported by foreign powers. He claimed the fighters could not make significant advances without backing and supplies from Sudan, Egypt and other external actors.
Sudan’s military rejected the accusation as “baseless.” It instead alleged that the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), which has been fighting Sudan’s army since 2023, was receiving support from inside Ethiopian territory, including training, supplies and drone-related military assistance.
Fighting between the TPLF and Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s federal government resumed on Wednesday, reviving fears of a return to Ethiopia’s 2020–2022 Tigray war, which is estimated to have killed about 600,000 people.
The conflict has also disrupted communications in Tigray. Telecommunications providers reported major interruptions to phone and internet services from Friday, making it difficult to obtain independent information about the fighting.
On Sunday, a drone struck the headquarters of Tigrai TV in Mekelle, a major media outlet associated with the Tigrayan authorities. The Ethiopian government had earlier announced that the station’s operations were suspended indefinitely.
The United Nations said Secretary-General António Guterres was particularly concerned by reports of drone attacks and harm to civilians. No confirmed figures for casualties have been released.
The TPLF says it is fighting a “defensive war” and has captured airports and launched attacks in the neighbouring Afar and Amhara regions.
Reports also indicate that Ethiopian federal forces have regained control of Alamata in southern Tigray and are advancing towards Mekhoni and Maychew.
Meanwhile, TPLF fighters reportedly captured Erebti in the Afar region near the Tigray border and were advancing towards Afdera, about 100km to the east.
The TPLF has formed an alliance with six other armed groups in Ethiopia. The coalition, known as the Ethiopian Peoples’ Forces Alliance for Survival, includes former rivals who fought on opposing sides during the previous Tigray conflict and has declared its aim of removing Abiy Ahmed’s government.
The fighting in Afar is also strategically important because the region contains supply routes linking Ethiopia to Djibouti, which handles much of Ethiopia’s imports, including fuel.
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