Ethiopia internal conflict escalation

In late July 2026 Ethiopian opposition leaders warned that the fragile peace established by the 2022 Pretoria Agreement was under threat. The government’s extension of the Tigray Interim Regional Administration’s mandate without consulting the Tigray People’s Liberation Front created a dual claim to authority, while the Tigray Defense Forces resumed recruitment and sporadic clashes with federal troops raised the risk of a broader escalation.

By early August, Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed launched a National Dialogue Conference that largely excluded Tigray, which remained under a humanitarian and economic blockade. At the same time, fighting intensified in the Amhara region between federal forces and the Fano militia, prompting international experts to call for third‑party mediation and a comprehensive peace effort addressing political grievances across both regions.