TPLF Says Ethiopia in ‘Full-Blown War’ After Seizing Tigray Airports and Attacking Afar and Amhara
Fighting intensified across northern Ethiopia on 24 September as the Tigray People’s Liberation Front said the country is now in full‑blown war with the federal government after taking three airports in Tigray and launching attacks into Afar and Amhara.
Northern Ethiopia is again facing widespread fighting after the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) declared the country to be in full‑blown war with the federal government and moved to seize key infrastructure.
On 24 September, clashes escalated across the north. The TPLF said its forces had taken control of three airports in the Tigray region. Those airfields are strategic assets for moving people and supplies and are now under TPLF control rather than federal authority.
TPLF fighters also launched attacks into the neighbouring Afar and Amhara regions, expanding the combat zone beyond Tigray’s borders. Available reporting does not list specific towns or military positions captured, but indicates that the front lines have widened.
The renewed fighting raises direct risks for civilians in multiple regions. Communities in and around the seized airports and in parts of Afar and Amhara are again exposed to the possibility of clashes and movement restrictions as both sides contest territory.
The federal government’s detailed response has not been outlined in the available material, but earlier phases of the conflict saw a mix of national army units, regional forces and allied militias involved in operations against the TPLF.
Because Ethiopia is a major state in the Horn of Africa, a slide back into large‑scale conflict carries implications beyond its borders, from trade and transport routes to possible new displacement.
Key developments to watch now include whether federal forces attempt to retake the three airports, how far TPLF units advance into Afar and Amhara, and any signs that either side is preparing for negotiations or, alternatively, for a longer campaign.
Sources
- OSINT