Ethiopia's army says it has repelled attacks in first comment on fresh fighting

By Michael Teferi BBC Africa.

Key points

• The latest escalation follows months of rising tensions between Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed's administration and Tigray authorities.
• After the seizure of the airports, Ethiopian Airlines has cancelled all flights to Tigray.
• There are unconfirmed reports that TPLF forces have introduced attacks in the neighbouring regions of Afar and Amhara.
• That concluded in an African Union-brokered peace agreement but over recent months both sides have been accusing each other of violating the agreement.
• "We are in the situation of full-blown war now, " TPLF vice-president Amanuel Assefa is quoted by the news agency as saying.

Ethiopia's army notes it has repelled attacks from Tigrayan forces and their allies in parts of the north of the country, in its first statement since fighting broke out on Wednesday.

Notably, the army remarked hostilities began in an area of Amhara region close to the border with Tigray, adding that its soldiers had inflicted heavy casualties and seized weapons.

In practice, the developments come as tensions between the federal administration and Tigrayan leaders have sharply escalated over the last few days, raising fears that a devastating civil war could resume.

On Wednesday, the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF). It dominates the region, seized control of three airports from federal police.

Notably, the TPLF has not commented on the army's claims and the BBC has not been able to independently verify the army's claims. The BBC is unable to report from Tigray and surrounding areas.

Meanwhile, a humanitarian source in Afar informed AFP news agency on Thursday that Tigrayan forces had rolled out heavy artillery attacks as they attempted to take control of the town of Yallo, near the border with Tigray.

For context, the latest escalation follows months of rising tensions between Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed's administration and Tigray authorities. This person fought a devastating war from 2020 to 2022.

It was one of the most deadly conflicts this century – the AU's mediator estimated some 600, 000 individuals died as the fighting drove the region to the precipice of famine.

On Sunday, the TPLF confirmed an alliance with six other armed groups to oust the governemnt.

Residents of Tigray's main city of Mekelle informed the BBC that local forces had taken over control of the city's airport from the national police early on Wednesday. This followed reports of drone strikes in Tigray in recent days.

For context, a Mekelle resident informed the BBC's Newsday programme on Thursday there had been no clashes in the city, unlike in the previous war, with most fighting happening elsewhere.

"Mekelle is calm, except the stress from the people, " remarked the resident, only identified as Fitsum for his safety. He continued that the biggest challenge was economic, with individuals not having enough cash.

"Individuals are in a mood where they are distressed as it's been so tough, so tough. The last seven or eight months the administration has been denying budgets to the civil servants and all the banks were running out of cash."

Fitsum remarked residents had been relying on mobile banking but with the risk of communications being cut off, "people are going to be in grave danger because there is almost no cash".

With the outbreak of war, individuals were limiting their movements and the city was all quiet – "it's like a curfew has been placed, " he informed the BBC. More regarding Tigray from the BBC.

For context, the young women who fought in Ethiopia's last civil war and don't want to see another one. Ethiopia PM's party wins landslide as fears grow of new conflict. Is Ethiopia heading back to war in Tigray? 'I lost my leg on the way home from school'.

Go to BBCAfrica.com, external for more news from the African continent.

For now, ethiopia' s army says it has repelled attacks in first comment on fresh remains the part of the story worth watching, and further updates are likely as more details are confirmed.