Fighting erupted early Saturday in the Shererina area of northern Ethiopia between the Ethiopian federal army and the Tigray People’s Liberation Front, with both sides deploying heavy artillery and drones. The clashes represented a significant breach of a peace agreement established three years prior, raising concerns about the potential for renewed civil conflict. By Sunday evening, hostilities had largely subsided, though one TPLF member indicated a de-escalation was underway.
Hundreds of civilians and wounded combatants crossed the border into Sudan during the violence. The TPLF accused the Ethiopian federal army of launching the initial attack and escalating military operations to unprecedented levels. Meanwhile, federal troops and Tigrayan forces have maintained a heavy military presence along the northern Tigray border for several months, with each side accusing the other of preparing to initiate hostilities.
The current tensions carry particular significance given the recent history of conflict between these parties. A previous war concluded less than four years ago, resulting in at least 600,000 deaths according to African Union estimates and involving TPLF-backed local militias and Eritrean forces alongside the Ethiopian military. Residents on the Sudanese side of the border reported hearing explosions and sustained gunfire during the clashes, with drone and artillery strikes reported to have impacted refugee camps located near the border. The UNHCR has flagged concerns regarding the border security situation.
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