Ethiopia Accuses Sudan, Egypt of Supporting Tigray Forces as Fighting Escalates

Ethiopia Accuses Sudan, Egypt of Supporting Tigray Forces as Fighting Escalates
—————————–
Ethiopia’s army chief has accused Sudan and Egypt of backing armed groups fighting federal forces in the north of the country, as renewed clashes with the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) raise fears of a return to a wider conflict.

Field Marshal Birhanu Jula said the military was confronting forces “supported and supplied” by external actors, alleging that Sudan, Egypt, and others were involved. Sudan’s military rejected the accusations as “baseless” and accused the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) of receiving support from inside Ethiopia.

The fighting between the Ethiopian government and the TPLF resumed this week, reviving concerns over a repeat of the 2020–2022 Tigray war, which resulted in hundreds of thousands of deaths. The conflict has also been accompanied by reports of drone strikes, civilian harm, and major communication disruptions in Tigray.

The TPLF has expanded operations into neighboring Afar and Amhara regions, while forming alliances with other armed groups opposed to Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s government. The escalation has prompted international concern, with the United Nations warning about reports of drone use and possible civilian casualties.