Ethiopia’s military and allied forces have claimed control of the strategic town of Alamata in southern Tigray, marking a significant development in renewed fighting between federal troops and forces loyal to the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF).
The pro-government Tigrai Peace Force announced the capture on Monday, releasing footage on Facebook showing soldiers marching through the town and waving Ethiopian flags. Reuters said it could not independently verify the footage.
Two diplomatic sources confirmed to Reuters that Alamata had fallen, while a third said government-aligned forces had entered the town but that their complete control remained uncertain.
Neither the Ethiopian military nor the TPLF immediately responded to requests for comment.
Alamata, approximately 120 kilometres south of Tigray’s regional capital Mekelle, is a key supply hub for troops, food and fuel near the border with the Amhara region.
The town changed hands several times during Ethiopia’s devastating 2020–2022 civil war. Its reported capture comes as federal forces launch a counteroffensive following a major military operation by Tigrayan forces last Wednesday.
Renewed fighting threatens Ethiopia’s fragile peace
The latest clashes have spread across Tigray and the neighbouring Amhara and Afar regions, threatening the Pretoria Agreement signed in November 2022, which ended a two-year civil war that killed hundreds of thousands of people.
The renewed hostilities follow months of mounting tensions between Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s government and the TPLF, with both sides accusing each other of violating the peace agreement.
Days before the latest offensive, the TPLF announced an alliance with six other armed groups from across Ethiopia, declaring its intention to overthrow Abiy’s government.
The escalation has also intensified regional tensions, with Ethiopia’s military accusing neighbouring countries of supporting armed groups fighting the federal government.
In remarks broadcast on state media on Sunday, Ethiopian military chief Berhanu Jula repeated allegations that Eritrea, Sudan’s armed forces and Egypt were providing support to opposition forces.
Eritrea and Sudan’s army have denied the accusations. Egypt did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The allegations come amid growing instability across the Horn of Africa, already affected by Sudan’s civil war, disputes over Red Sea access and the regional consequences of conflicts in the Middle East.
Communications blackout raises humanitarian fears
Internet and telephone services remained disrupted across Tigray for a fourth consecutive day on Monday, raising concerns about the humanitarian consequences of the renewed conflict.
Four sources told Reuters on Friday that the TPLF had ordered the telecommunications shutdown. The group has not responded to requests for comment on the allegations.
The disruption has revived fears of a repeat of the humanitarian emergency during the 2020–2022 war, when communications were severed and access to food, medicine and cash was severely restricted.
Tigray has yet to recover from the earlier conflict, which left hundreds of thousands of people facing famine conditions and displaced large sections of the population.
According to the UN refugee agency, approximately 750,000 Tigrayans remained internally displaced as of February, while the region continues to face severe humanitarian pressures, including drought and food insecurity.
