Ethiopian military says 272 Tigrayan fighters killed in Amhara fighting

Renewed clashes between federal forces and Tigrayan forces stoke fears of a return to wider conflict. Ethiopia’s military said on Thursday it had killed 272 Tigrayan fighters during fighting in North Wollo in the Amhara region.

The military did not immediately furnish independent evidence of the reported death toll. There was no immediate response from Tigrayan forces to dispute or confirm the figure.

The clashes come amid a sharp escalation between the Ethiopian federal government and the Tigray People’s Liberation Front, which fought a devastating war between 2020 and 2022. The Pretoria peace agreement brought an end to the conflict but tensions have been rising sharply in recent months.

Ethiopian officials said Tigrayan forces launched an offensive in neighbouring Amhara and Afar regions on Wednesday. The regional administration of Tigray accused federal forces of an “invasion”, saying its forces were fighting defensively.

The fresh fighting follows the TPLF’s announcement of an alliance with six other armed groups seeking to oust Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s government. The alliance has been accused by the federal government of getting support from Eritrea, which Asmara has denied.