Tigray War

Tigray War. The Tigray War was a major armed conflict that erupted in northern Ethiopia in November 2020. It primarily pitted the Ethiopian federal government under Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed against the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF), the ruling party of the Tigray Region. The fighting resulted in a severe humanitarian catastrophe, widespread allegations of war crimes, and significant regional instability before a formal cessation of hostilities was agreed in late 2022.

Background

Tensions had been escalating for years between the federal government in Addis Ababa and the TPLF, which had dominated the Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front coalition for decades until Abiy Ahmed came to power in 2018. The TPLF retreated to Mekelle and defied the federal government after Abiy dissolved the ruling coalition and formed the Prosperity Party. A critical flashpoint occurred in September 2020 when the Tigray Regional Government held regional elections in defiance of a federal postponement, which the House of Federation declared illegal. Accusations of a TPLF attack on the Northern Command of the Ethiopian National Defense Force in early November 2020 provided the immediate catalyst for the federal offensive.

Timeline of major events

The conflict began on 3-4 November 2020 with a federal military campaign, including airstrikes near Mekelle and a ground advance. By late November, federal forces, supported by the Amhara Regional Special Forces and the Eritrean Defence Forces, captured Mekelle. The Tigray Defense Forces (TDF) then waged a successful guerrilla campaign, recapturing most of Tigray Region by June 2021, including Mekelle. The conflict expanded into the Amhara Region and Afar Region in 2021. A major federal counter-offensive began in late 2021, again pushing the TDF back. The war reached a stalemate in mid-2022, creating conditions for peace talks.

Belligerents and foreign involvement

The primary belligerents were the Ethiopian National Defense Force (ENDF) and the Tigray Defense Forces (TDF). Key allies of the ENDF included the Eritrean Defence Forces under President Isaias Afwerki and various Amhara militias like the Amhara Fano. The TDF later formed a tactical alliance with the Oromo Liberation Army. Foreign involvement was significant, with Eritrea being a major military participant. Other regional actors like Sudan were affected by border tensions and refugee flows, while the African Union and the United Nations sought to mediate. The United States and the European Union imposed sanctions and called for ceasefires.

Humanitarian impact and war crimes

The conflict caused a dire humanitarian crisis, with hundreds of thousands facing famine-like conditions, as documented by the World Food Programme and UNICEF. A joint investigation by the United Nations Human Rights Council and the Ethiopian Human Rights Commission found evidence of atrocities by all sides. These included the Mai Kadra massacre, widespread sexual violence, the siege of Tigray Region, and attacks on civilians and civilian infrastructure like hospitals and schools. The use of starvation as a weapon of war and the blocking of humanitarian aid were widely reported.

Peace process and aftermath

Secret negotiations, facilitated by the African Union and led by former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo, culminated in the signing of the Pretoria Agreement on 3 November 2022. This was followed by the Nairobi Declaration on implementation. The agreements mandated a permanent cessation of hostilities, the disarmament of the Tigray Defense Forces, restoration of federal authority, and unhindered humanitarian access. The aftermath has been focused on a fragile recovery, the challenging process of disarmament, demobilization, and reintegration, and ongoing international efforts to support accountability and reconstruction in the devastated Tigray Region.

Category:Wars involving Ethiopia Category:2020s conflicts Category:History of Tigray Region