Fighting Intensifies in Northern Ethiopia as Alamata Falls

Fighting is intensifying across northern Ethiopia as federal government forces and their allies claim control of Alamata, a strategic town in the Tigray region, amid renewed clashes with Tigrayan forces. The Tigray Peace Force, an armed group aligned with Ethiopia’s federal government, said it captured Alamata alongside the Ethiopian army. Reuters-verified video showed armed men and vehicles moving through the town carrying Ethiopian flags. Alamata lies about 120 kilometres south of Mekelle, Tigray’s capital. Its strategic location makes it an important supply route for food, fuel and milita

Fighting is intensifying across northern Ethiopia as federal government forces and their allies claim control of Alamata, a strategic town in the Tigray region, amid renewed clashes with Tigrayan forces. The Tigray Peace Force, an armed group aligned with Ethiopia’s federal government, said it captured Alamata alongside the Ethiopian army. Reuters-verified video showed armed men and vehicles moving through the town carrying Ethiopian flags. Alamata lies about 120 kilometres south of Mekelle, Tigray’s capital. Its strategic location makes it an important supply route for food, fuel and military operations. Its reported capture could provide federal forces with a route towards Mekelle, although the military situation remains fluid. The latest escalation follows a major offensive by the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) and allied groups. Tigrayan forces have reported advances in parts of Tigray and neighbouring Afar and Amhara regions, while federal forces have launched counteroffensives. The conflict is also raising concerns about regional involvement. Ethiopia’s military leadership has accused Eritrea, Sudan and Egypt of supporting opposition groups. Eritrea and Sudan have rejected the allegations, while Egypt has reiterated its position supporting the sovereignty and territorial integrity of states. The humanitarian situation is deteriorating. Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) reported a sharp increase in wounded people arriving at hospitals in northern Ethiopia. Telecommunications have also been disrupted in parts of Tigray, making it difficult to obtain reliable information from the affected areas. The renewed violence threatens the November 2022 Pretoria peace agreement, which ended the previous Tigray war after two years of devastating conflict. With fighting reported across several fronts, concerns are growing over civilian displacement, access to humanitarian assistance and the possibility of a broader regional crisis.