Ethiopian Army Claims Major Casualties Inflicted on Tigray Forces After Northern Attacks

The Ethiopian National Defence Force (ENDF) has declared it successfully repelled a series of assaults from Tigrayan forces in the country's northern regions, according to a statement from the army's general staff. The military asserted that its soldiers "destroyed" the attacking units, inflicting substantial casualties.

This declaration represents the initial public acknowledgement from Addis Ababa concerning the resurgence of hostilities. The fighting, which began on 24th August, has shattered a five-month humanitarian truce between the federal government and the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF).

Reports from the United Nations indicate significant humanitarian concerns, with convoys attempting to deliver essential aid to the Tigray region being forced to turn back due to the renewed conflict. The cessation of a ceasefire, initially agreed in March 2022, has drawn international condemnation, particularly from the African Union, which has called for an immediate cessation of violence and a return to dialogue.

The conflict in Ethiopia, ongoing since November 2020, has resulted in thousands of deaths and displaced millions. The return to full-scale warfare would further destabilise a critical region, with devastating implications for civilian populations already facing acute food insecurity.