Fresh armed clashes have erupted in Ethiopia’s Tigray region between rival Tigrayan factions, raising concerns of renewed intra-regional violence at a time when northern Ethiopia remains fragile. According to local sources, the Tigray Defense Force (TDF), aligned with the Debretsion-led faction of the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF), has reportedly engaged militarily with another emerging armed group known as the “Tigray Peace Force” (TPF).
The incident reportedly occurred in the Alasa locality of Wajra, a zone in southern Tigray near the border with Ethiopia’s Afar region. Local media outlet Ethio Focus reported that TDF forces used mortar and DShK heavy machine guns in the attack, though no confirmed casualties have yet been reported.
The TPF, which only formally adopted its name earlier this week, is believed to have entered Tigray from neighboring Afar, where it had been organizing a resistance movement against what it considers the alliance of Debretsion’s TPLF faction and the Eritrean government. Observers say the TPF has positioned itself as a rival force challenging the influence of TDF and its reported political-military alignment with Eritrea.
Sources close to the situation suggest that the TDF deployment of nearly 50 trucks of troops to the area was led by General Yohannes, also known as “John Medid,” a powerful TDF commander and close ally of Debretsion Gebremichael. General Yohannes is said to have acted to reinforce the faction’s control over South Tigray, an area that has strategic and symbolic significance.
Meanwhile, Brigadier General Gebreegziabher Beyene, reportedly aligned with the Tigray Peace Force, is said to have advised restraint, and no retaliatory strikes were confirmed as of Thursday afternoon. The lack of immediate escalation, however, has not prevented widespread concern.
Several Tigrayan opposition groups have condemned the confrontation, warning that the region — which has already suffered years of war, displacement, and humanitarian crisis — cannot afford another round of internal bloodshed. “Tigray must not be plunged into another war,” one regional political figure told Borkena, calling for “immediate mediation between the factions.”
The tensions are further complicated by accusations of foreign interference. The TDF is widely seen by critics as a proxy for Eritrean interests, particularly since the reported formation of a new political-military alliance known as Tsemdo, uniting Debretsion’s TPLF faction and the Eritrean government. Reports indicate that this faction has received advanced weaponry, including drones, possibly with support from unnamed external actors — although these claims remain unverified.
On the other hand, the Tigray Peace Force is viewed by some observers as having tacit backing from Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s federal government, which has warned against “unauthorized foreign alliances” and repeatedly accused Eritrea of fueling instability in the north. Eritrea, for its part, denies involvement.
The emergence of competing armed factions, each potentially backed by rival governments, has alarmed analysts and rights groups. If not contained, the confrontation could trigger a new front of civil conflict in an already volatile region.
As of Thursday evening, calls are mounting for regional leaders and international mediators to intervene before the situation escalates into another full-blown crisis.
