Internet Cut in Northern Ethiopia as Tigray Fighting Flares Again
Internet and transport disruptions hit Tigray as fighting resumes between Ethiopian federal forces and TPLF fighters, alarming residents of Mekelle.
Internet services were disrupted across parts of northern Ethiopia on Friday, as fresh clashes between Tigrayan fighters and federal troops revived fears of a return to full-scale war.
The renewed hostilities have undone the peace agreement signed in Pretoria, South Africa, in November 2022, which had ended a two-year conflict. Rebel forces are now mobilising for an armed campaign they hope will unseat the federal prime minister.
The internet monitoring group NetBlocks said network data pointed to a regional outage that coincided with reports of a telecommunications blackout in Tigray.
A day earlier, residents of Mekelle, the regional capital, spoke of a climate of fear and cautioned that severed transport links could push up the cost of everyday goods.
"The country is at war and peace remains elusive as transport services have come to a halt," said Hailay Meles, a resident. "As long as this conflict persists, it will continue to drive up the prices of basic commodities."
The principal belligerents are Ethiopia's federal military and fighters loyal to the Tigray People's Liberation Front, or TPLF, the armed political movement in Tigray, Ethiopia's northernmost regional state.
On Thursday, Ethiopia's military said dozens of TPLF fighters had been killed in continuing operations, adding that federal forces had detained many others and seized a large stock of weapons.
The TPLF and federal troops fought from November 2020 until November 2022, when the Pretoria accord was signed.
"I hope for a peaceful resolution to this conflict. It seems the international community is ignoring our situation, opting instead for silence," Meles said.
Another Mekelle resident, Selam Fantay, described the mood in the city. "There is an atmosphere of fear. People are deeply concerned that the suspension of transport services signals the outbreak of renewed conflict," she said.
"Without peace, everything becomes extremely difficult. Our desire is for peace to return so that conditions can be created where everyone can work and earn a living. Peace is the top priority — that is what we truly want."