Ethiopia accuses Eritrea, Sudan, and Egypt of backing Tigray rebels

Renewed heavy fighting between the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) and the Ethiopian federal government has raised fears of a return to the devastating civil war that killed an estimated 600,000 people between 2020 and 2022. The TPLF has launched attacks into the neighboring Afar and Amhara regions, claiming its operations are defensive. In the Afar region, rebels reportedly seized the town of Erebti following heavy artillery fire, potentially displacing up to 150,000 people.

Ethiopian Army Chief Field Marshal Birhanu Jula accused Eritrea, Sudan, and Egypt of providing support and supplies to the rebel forces. Jula stated the military is confronting forces organized to serve the interests of external powers. In response, the Sudanese military dismissed these allegations as “baseless” and counter-alleged that Ethiopia has provided support to the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) currently fighting in Sudan.

Conflict escalation has also impacted communications, with reports of a drone strike on the Tigrai TV headquarters in Mekelle and significant telecommunications disruptions across the Tigray region.