Archive · 24 Sep 2026
Tigray Residents Stock Up as Fears of War Return
People in Ethiopia’s Tigray region are afraid that a large war could start again.
They are buying food, money and medicine because shops may run out.
Some residents say supplies are already harder to find and more expensive.
Tigrayan forces have taken control of three airports and fought in nearby regions.
Ethiopia’s government says the Tigrayan forces started an organized attack.
Tigrayan leaders say they are defending themselves against government attacks.
The conflict could bring back the severe shortages seen during the 2020–22 war.
The United Nations and European Union are asking both sides to stop fighting and talk.
Residents in Ethiopia’s Tigray region are stockpiling food, cash and basic supplies amid fears of renewed war.
Tigrayan forces seized three local airports and launched attacks in Afar and Amhara regions, according to Reuters.
The Ethiopian government called the actions a premeditated assault, while Tigray People’s Liberation Front leaders described them as defensive.
Residents reported empty shops, scarce and expensive medicines, power outages and fears of siege-like conditions.
The United Nations and European Union urged restraint, de-escalation and a return to the African Union-brokered peace process.
- Who
- Residents of Tigray, Tigrayan forces led by the Tigray People’s Liberation Front, and Ethiopia’s federal government are involved; the United Nations and European Union called for de-escalation.
- What
- Tigrayan forces seized three local airports and launched attacks in Afar and Amhara, prompting fears of a return to full-scale war.
- When
- The escalation was reported on September 24, after attacks during the same week.
- Where
- The main developments were in Ethiopia’s Tigray region, with fighting and attacks also reported in Afar and Amhara regions.
- Why
- Tigrayan leaders said they were responding defensively to government aggression, while the Ethiopian government said the Tigray People’s Liberation Front launched a premeditated assault.
Tigrayan Forces’ Account
Ethiopian Government’s Account
Cause of the escalation
Tigrayan Forces’ Account
Tigray People’s Liberation Front leaders said their forces entered a defensive war to counter aggression by the federal government.
Ethiopian Government’s Account
The Ethiopian government accused the Tigray People’s Liberation Front of launching a major, premeditated assault on civilian infrastructure.
Military actions
Tigrayan Forces’ Account
The Tigrayan side said government ground forces, warplanes, drones and artillery were attacking Tigray and that it was acting in self-defense.
Ethiopian Government’s Account
The government said Tigrayan forces seized three airports and emphasized that the door to dialogue remained open if armed groups surrendered their weapons.
Path forward
Tigrayan Forces’ Account
The Tigray People’s Liberation Front has formed an alliance with six other armed groups aimed at overthrowing Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed.
Ethiopian Government’s Account
The government’s stated position, alongside international calls, favors dialogue and de-escalation rather than continued military action.
- Region
- Tigray, northern Ethiopia
- Recent escalation
- Tigrayan forces seized three local airports and attacked targets in Afar and Amhara regions.
- Previous war
- The 2020–22 Tigray war killed hundreds of thousands of people, according to the report.
- Resident concerns
- People reported stockpiling food and cash, empty shops, scarce medicines and fears of siege conditions.
- Government position
- Ethiopia accused the Tigray People’s Liberation Front of launching a major, premeditated assault but said dialogue remained possible if armed groups laid down their weapons.
- Tigrayan position
- Tigray People’s Liberation Front leaders said they were fighting defensively against federal government aggression involving ground forces, drones, warplanes and artillery.
- International response
- The United Nations and European Union called for restraint, immediate de-escalation, dialogue and a return to the African Union-brokered peace process.