Tigray conflict resurgence triggers forced recruitment reports

Renewed fighting in Ethiopia’s northern Tigray region has shattered the November 2022 Pretoria peace agreement. Hostilities between the federal government and the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) erupted on September 23 following months of escalating tensions and federal drone strikes.

Reports indicate that armed groups in Tigray have begun a campaign of forced recruitment. Witnesses and residents describe personnel stopping individuals at gunpoint in streets and public transport hubs. While recruitment efforts primarily target males between the ages of 15 and 40, some accounts suggest men up to age 65 are being approached. Some families have reportedly attempted to use medical documentation to exempt children, but these efforts are frequently ignored.

The conflict has also seen shifts in regional alliances, with the Eritrean Defence Forces and Amhara militias reportedly fighting in support of the TPLF. The resurgence of violence has triggered fresh humanitarian concerns and civilian displacement across the region.