Fighting continues in Ethiopia, internet disruptions reported — Dawn
In Ethiopia, federal forces overnight repelled an offensive by rebels from the Tigray region near the town of Abala in the border region of Afar. At the same time, internet monitor NetBlocks reported disruptions to internet service in the north of the country, coinciding with reports of telecommunications outages in Tigray.
As Dawn reports, citing AFP, a humanitarian source in Afar said intense overnight fighting took place around Abala, located in the mountains on the border with Tigray. According to the source, federal forces prevented the rebels from entering the town, and the army used a drone. AFP was unable to reach sources in the region by telephone.
Offensive in two regions
This week, rebels from Tigray announced the start of a full-scale war with the federal government. They seized local airports in Tigray and attacked the neighboring regions of Afar and Amhara.
On Thursday, clashes also took place in the North Wollo zone of Amhara, including near UNESCO World Heritage sites in Lalibela, known for its rock-hewn churches. Analysts believe Tigray forces are repeating the strategy of the previous war, advancing south through Amhara toward the capital, Addis Ababa. In their view, the offensive in Afar may be aimed at disrupting supplies from Djibouti, through which nearly all of Ethiopia's international freight traffic passes, including fuel deliveries.
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The Tigray People's Liberation Front has formed an alliance with six other armed groups to overthrow the government of Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed. Verisk Maplecroft analyst Edward Bachs told AFP that the alliance is likely seeking to capture settlements along key infrastructure routes in order to complicate supplies for the federal government.
Fears among Tigray residents
The federal government has a significant military advantage thanks to a large arsenal of drones, an army of about 500,000 personnel, and support from external partners, including the United Arab Emirates. The US Embassy said this week that it was disappointed that the TPLF leadership had launched a large-scale offensive.
In Mekelle, the capital of Tigray, prices for basic goods are rising as residents stock up on necessities. Spice shop worker Samuel Gebreslassie told AFP that the community fears a repeat shutdown of banks, telecommunications, electricity, and goods supplies. During the 2020–2022 war, Tigray faced a supply blockade and communications shutdown; an estimated 600,000 people were killed.
