The Tigray People’s Liberation Front has accused Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed of violating a ceasefire agreement. Local authorities in Afar reported a new attack from Tigray forces, raising concerns about escalating violence. The situation threatens the fragile peace established after a two-year civil war in northern Ethiopia.
The Tigray People’s Liberation Front has accused Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed of violating the ceasefire agreement signed between the two sides. At the same time, local authorities in Afar, eastern Ethiopia, reported a new attack from Tigray forces.
Debretsion Gebremichael, the leader of the Tigray People’s Liberation Front, warned of “serious and repeated violations” by the Ethiopian federal government of the Cessation of Hostilities Agreement (CoHA), which forms the basis of the Pretoria peace agreement signed between the parties.
In a statement, Gebremichael noted that Abiy Ahmed’s recent remarks in parliament, where he rejected the Pretoria Agreement and criticized the Tigray People’s Liberation Front, represent a “clear retreat from the political commitments underlying the agreement.” He pointed out that these positions “contradict the principle of peaceful dialogue agreed upon by the signatory parties.”
He added that “the violations have not stopped at mere statements,” explaining that an armed group active in Afar, “receiving direct support from the federal government,” launched an attack during the visit of the interim regional administration head of Tigray, Lieutenant General Tadesse Woldemichael, to southern Tigray last week, resulting in injuries among his entourage.
Gebremichael confirmed that this group declared its entry into an “open conflict” with Tigray and called for government support for its operations. He noted that federal forces conducted a “drone strike” on November 7, 2025, targeting sites along the Tigray-Afar border, resulting in human and material losses, describing the incident as a “flagrant violation of the principle of silencing the guns and resolving disputes through dialogue.”
In conclusion, Gebremichael reaffirmed the Tigray People’s Liberation Front’s commitment to peace and the full implementation of the Pretoria Agreement, urging the United Nations, the African Union, and the international community to exert urgent diplomatic pressure on the federal government to “stop hostilities and engage in genuine dialogue.”
In a related development, local authorities in Afar, northeastern Ethiopia, announced late Wednesday that the region had come under attack from Tigray forces, who seized control of six villages and shelled civilians, indicating a new phase of internal conflicts in the country.
The Afar administration stated that the Tigray People’s Liberation Front “entered the Afar region and forcibly took control of six villages, shelling civilians with mortars and heavy artillery.”
They added that Tigray forces attacked the Megali area, the second-largest area in Afar, and “opened fire with heavy weapons on civilian herders.”
The Afar region is in a state of serious alert, threatening the security and stability of the area, and warned that it would take measures to defend its borders and citizens if the attacks continue. The Afar administration did not provide any information about the number of casualties.
In response to the accusations, Abiy Ahmed’s advisor, Getachew Reda, stated that elements within Tigray are attempting to provoke the government by igniting fighting in Afar, emphasizing that the federal government remains committed to the option of peace despite repeated provocations from the Tigray People’s Liberation Front.
These developments come after reports of military movements by splinter groups from Tigray forces, supported by internal and external parties, raising fears of a collapse of the Pretoria Agreement that ended a two-year bloody war in northern Ethiopia.
The conflict has been devastating. The rebels in Tigray fought a destructive civil war against the central government from 2020 to 2022, resulting in approximately 600,000 deaths and extending into the Afar region, where its forces supported the federal authorities, while relations between the capital and other regions remain tense.
The Tigray People’s Liberation Front dominated the political scene in Ethiopia from 1991 until 2018 when it was marginalized with the rise of Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed to power.
In May, the electoral commission barred the party from engaging in any political activities. Last month, the central government accused the Tigray People’s Liberation Front in a letter to the United Nations of establishing relations with neighboring Eritrea and “actively preparing to wage war against Ethiopia.”
Additionally, the Ministry of Finance canceled the disbursement of over two billion birr (approximately $13.1 million) to Tigray, and Abiy told parliament last week that a significant portion of the budget allocated to Tigray had been redirected for military purposes.
The region, home to approximately six million people, continues to face financial difficulties, while around one million people remain displaced due to the two-year civil war.
The Tigray conflict began in November 2020, leading to a devastating civil war that lasted until late 2022, resulting in significant loss of life and displacement. The Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) dominated Ethiopian politics from 1991 until 2018, when it was sidelined following Abiy Ahmed’s rise to power.
The conflict has since drawn in various regional actors and raised fears of further instability in the Horn of Africa. Recent tensions indicate a potential resurgence of violence, jeopardizing the fragile peace achieved through the Pretoria Agreement.
