By Kevin Akor
ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia — Renewed clashes in northern Ethiopia have raised fears of a return to large-scale conflict, threatening the fragile peace agreement signed in 2022 to end a devastating two-year war in the Tigray region.
The fighting follows months of mounting tension and mutual accusations between the Tigray People’s Liberation Front, or TPLF, and Ethiopia’s federal government, with observers warning that the situation could spiral if de-escalation efforts fail.
The TPLF has accused the federal government of violating the Pretoria peace agreement, formally known as the Permanent Cessation of Hostilities Agreement. TPLF leaders say Addis Ababa has failed to meet key commitments under the deal, undermining efforts to stabilize Tigray and deepening mistrust between the former adversaries.
The federal government has rejected the claims and countered with accusations of its own, alleging that the TPLF misused federal funds and colluded with Eritrea to launch attacks on federal forces. Those allegations have further strained already fragile relations.
Amid rising tensions, Ethiopian Airlines has canceled all flights between Addis Ababa and the Tigray region. The airline did not give details, but the move came as reports emerged of clashes in western Tigray and new military movements in the south, developments analysts say pose a serious threat to the peace deal.
The African Union said Friday it was closely monitoring the situation and urged all parties to preserve gains made under the agreement. AU Commission Chairperson Mahmoud Ali Youssouf said he was “deeply concerned” by the latest developments and called for restraint.
“The preservation of the hard-won gains achieved under the AU-led Permanent Cessation of Hostilities Agreement remains paramount,” Youssouf said in a statement. He added that the AU’s High-Level Panel on Ethiopia stands ready to intensify efforts to facilitate dialogue and confidence-building measures.
The European Union also voiced alarm, warning that renewed fighting could have grave consequences for civilians and regional stability.
“Immediate de-escalation is imperative to prevent a renewed conflict that would have serious consequences for civilians and regional stability,” the EU External Action Service said in a statement dated Jan. 31. “The November 2022 Cessation of Hostilities Agreement needs to be upheld as the framework for resolving disputes through dialogue.”
The EU said it stands ready to facilitate talks and support confidence-building measures to ensure the full implementation of the Pretoria agreement.
Meanwhile, Getachew Reda, a former TPLF spokesperson and former president of the Tigray interim administration, issued a public appeal to halt the fighting, warning that continued conflict is destroying the future of the region’s youth.
“Stop the war: Save the youth!” Reda wrote in a message posted on social media. He accused political and military leaders of leading the population down a destructive path that has already exacted a heavy toll over the past four decades.
Reda criticized Tigrayan leaders for repeatedly mobilizing young people into wars that, he said, have produced no meaningful outcomes. He rejected claims that renewed fighting against the federal government is necessary for survival.
“Under the current leadership, victory is impossible, and even good opportunities are lost,” he said.
He also accused senior commanders in the so-called “Agazi” military leadership of using young fighters as “cannon fodder” while enjoying personal privileges, and warned against aligning with Eritrean President Isaias Afwerki, whom he accused of manipulating Tigray into sacrificing its youth.
“Our victory should be achieved through peace,” Reda said, calling for constitutional rebuilding and a peaceful political struggle instead of renewed war.
The previous conflict in Tigray left hundreds of thousands of people dead, displaced millions and shattered livelihoods across northern Ethiopia, pushing the country to the brink of economic and humanitarian collapse. Aid agencies have repeatedly warned that even limited renewed fighting could quickly spiral into a mass humanitarian emergency, cutting off assistance to already vulnerable communities.
With Ethiopia entering a sensitive election period, analysts warn that renewed conflict in the north risks reversing fragile peace gains, destabilizing the broader political process and deepening ethnic divisions in a country still struggling to recover from years of war.
