Heavy fighting erupted overnight around Abala in Ethiopia’s Afar region as federal forces battled Tigray fighters in a fresh escalation of the conflict in northern Ethiopia.
A humanitarian source in Afar told AFP on Friday that federal forces used a drone to prevent Tigray fighters from entering the strategic mountain town, which lies near the border with Tigray. The source said the federal forces pushed the fighters back.
The latest fighting has intensified fears that Ethiopia could slide back into a wider conflict following the devastating 2020–2022 Tigray war.
Fighting Spreads Beyond Tigray
The Abala clashes are part of a broader escalation that has spread into neighbouring Afar and Amhara regions.
Tigray forces seized airports in Mekelle, Shire and Axum earlier this week, prompting Ethiopian Airlines to suspend flights to the three airports. The Tigray side has described the latest confrontation as a “full-blown war” with the federal government.
Reports of fighting have also emerged around other locations in northern Ethiopia.
However, battlefield claims remain difficult to independently verify because communications have been disrupted in parts of the region.
Control of Abala Remains Unclear
The status of Abala has been disputed.
Earlier reports cited a foreign security source as saying Tigray forces had taken control of the town. A former senior TPLF official also claimed that Tigray forces controlled several Afar towns, including Abala and Erebti.
AFP said it could not independently confirm those claims. The latest humanitarian account instead said federal forces had prevented Tigray fighters from entering Abala during the overnight fighting.
The conflicting reports underline the difficulty of establishing precise territorial control as fighting continues.
Strategic Importance of Afar
Afar is strategically important because it contains major transportation routes linking Ethiopia with Djibouti.
Any prolonged fighting in the region could therefore have consequences beyond the immediate battlefield, particularly for the movement of commercial goods and fuel.
The renewed conflict is also occurring amid a broader realignment of armed groups in Ethiopia.
Seven armed movements, including the TPLF and the Amhara Fano National Movement, recently announced an alliance opposed to Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s government. The groups have different political and territorial interests despite their shared opposition to the federal government.
Internet Disruption Adds to Concerns
The security situation has also affected communications.
Internet monitor NetBlocks reported a disruption in northern Ethiopia that corresponded with reports of a telecommunications blackout in Tigray. AFP also reported difficulties contacting sources in the region.
The disruption has made it harder to independently verify battlefield developments and assess the humanitarian situation.
The previous Tigray war caused a major humanitarian crisis and, according to African Union estimates cited by AFP, killed about 600,000 people between 2020 and 2022.
With fighting now reported across multiple fronts, concern is growing over the potential impact on civilians and regional stability.
