Fighting has erupted in Ethiopia's northern region of Tigray between regional forces and the national army. Residents of Tigray, who were recovering from a two-year war that ended in 2022, fear a return to full-scale conflict.
Internet and call services have been disrupted in the region, preventing people from accessing money via digital apps in what has become a largely cashless society since ATMs stopped working months ago. Reports of panic buying have also emerged.
The current fighting follows over six months of worsening relations between the government and the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF), the party that governs Tigray. A peace deal brokered by the African Union (AU) in 2022, known as the Pretoria Agreement, ended the previous war, but several issues have remained unresolved.
Major clashes erupted this week in Tigray and spread into the neighbouring Afar and Amhara regions. Both sides blame each other for the escalation; the TPLF claims it responded to a federal offensive including drone strikes, while the government states Tigrayan forces attacked first after seizing airports in Tigray.
The TPLF has recently formed an Alliance for Survival with six other armed movements, including Amhara's Fano militia and the Oromo Liberation Army. While these groups have different grievances and were on opposing sides during the civil war, they share the objective of removing Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed's government from power.