Ethiopia Faces Renewed Violence as Former Rivals Unite in Conflict

WHO:

CNN - Tigrayan forces, Ethiopian federal government, Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF), Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, Getachew Reda (adviser to Abiy Ahmed), Michael Asgedom (TPLF spokesman), Surafel Getahun (Ethiopian geopolitics researcher), Billene Seyoum (spokesperson for Abiy).

Bloomberg Markets - Ethiopian government forces, Tigrayan rebels.

WHAT:

CNN - Tigrayan forces seized three airports controlled by the federal government.

CNN - The violence has shattered the 2022 peace agreement, which ended a war that killed around 600,000 people.

Bloomberg Markets - The government reported killing 272 fighters during the renewed conflict.

WHERE:

CNN - The fighting is occurring in the Tigray region, as well as the neighboring regions of Amhara and Afar.

CNN - The airport seizures took place in Tigray.

WHEN:

CNN - The federal government and TPLF signed an African Union-brokered agreement on November 2, 2022.

CNN - Fighting between Tigrayan and federal forces began near Ethiopia’s border with Sudan on August 1.

CNN - Tigray held its own regional vote during the Covid-19 pandemic, which was opposed by Addis Ababa.

WHY:

CNN - Relations between the federal government and Tigray’s leaders had been worsening for months prior to the renewed fighting.

CNN - The TPLF claims it is engaged in a “defensive war” after federal forces attacked first, while the federal government accuses the TPLF of launching an “all-out offensive.”

HOW:

CNN - Tigrayan forces moved tanks and artillery south in preparation for renewed conflict.

CNN - The TPLF joined six other armed groups in a new alliance to remove Abiy’s government and establish a transitional administration.

(UPDATED September 25, 2026 09:59 UTC)

Tigrayan forces have seized three airports controlled by the Ethiopian federal government, marking a significant escalation in the ongoing conflict in the Tigray region and neighboring areas. The violence has shattered the peace agreement signed on November 2, 2022, which had aimed to end a devastating war that resulted in around 600,000 deaths, while the government reported killing 272 fighters during this renewed conflict. As tensions rise, the Tigray People's Liberation Front claims it is engaged in a "defensive war" following an initial attack by federal forces, while they have also formed a new alliance with six other armed groups to challenge Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed's administration.