Tigray war

The Tigray war was a big fight in Ethiopia, a country in Africa. It lasted from November 2020 to November 2022. It happened mainly in the Tigray Region, one of the areas in Ethiopia. Two groups were fighting: one side was the Ethiopian government and their ally, Eritrea, and the other side was a group called the Tigray People’s Liberation Front, or TPLF.

The fighting started when the TPLF attacked military bases. The government said this was to keep law and order, but the TPLF kept fighting. At one point, the government took the main city, Mekelle, but later the TPLF took it back and moved into other areas.

The war caused many problems. It led to big shortages of food and supplies, hurting many people. The fighting also caused a lot of suffering, and many people were hurt or lost their homes. The war ended with an agreement to stop fighting, but it left deep wounds and damage that will take a long time to heal.

Background

Historical and political context

Further information: Eritrean–Ethiopian border conflict, 2014–2016 Oromo protests, and Ethiopian civil conflict (2018–present)

After a big war ended in Ethiopia in 1991, the country was led by a group of parties called the Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF). One of these parties was the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF), which had a lot of power. In 2018, a new leader named Abiy Ahmed became the prime minister of Ethiopia. He tried to make peace with Eritrea, which made many people in Tigray very unhappy because they felt it was a betrayal.

In 2019, Abiy created a new party called the Prosperity Party, but the TPLF did not join. Tensions kept growing between the TPLF and the federal government. In 2020, the TPLF held its own election even though the federal government said it was illegal. This made the situation even worse.

People in Tigray registering to vote in the 2020 regional election during the COVID-19 pandemic (August 2020)

Lead-up to the war

Further information: COVID-19 pandemic in Ethiopia and 2020 Tigray regional election

In 2020, the federal government delayed elections because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The TPLF did not agree with this and held its own election in September. The federal government cut funding to Tigray, which the TPLF said was like a declaration of war.

In October 2020, the federal government tried to mediate but things kept getting worse. The federal parliament even suggested calling the TPLF a terrorist group.

Constitutional context

The 1995 Constitution of Ethiopia says that people have the right to decide their own future, including leaving the country if they want. It also says that the federal government can step in if a state government breaks the rules.

Course of the war

Main article: Timeline of the Tigray war

Initial fighting (3–28 November 2020)

Northern Command attacks

Main article: Northern Command attacks (Ethiopia)

Just before midnight on 3 November 2020, Tigray special forces and allied local militia attacked the Ethiopian National Defense Force Northern Command headquarters in Mekelle, the Fifth Battalion barracks in Dansha, and other Northern Command bases. Several people were killed, and the Tigray People's Liberation Front claimed the attack was carried out in self-defense.

In retaliation, an Ethiopian offensive was launched on 4 November, which was accompanied by the declaration of a state of emergency, the creation of the State of Emergency Inquiry Board, and a shutdown of government services in the Tigray Region. During the following days, skirmishes continued, and the Ethiopian federal parliament declared the creation of an interim government for Tigray. Ethiopian offensives in the north were accompanied by airstrikes, and several towns and cities were retaken.

Early massacres

Main articles: Mai Kadra massacre, Humera massacre (2020), and Battle of Humera

On the night of 9 to 10 November 2020, hundreds of civilians were killed in a massacre in the town of Mai Kadra. Two days later, refugees interviewed by news outlets stated that armed groups carried out beatings and killings in Humera. Humera was shelled from the direction of the Eritrean–Ethiopian border for two days around 9–11 November. The Ethiopian National Defense Force gained control of the town one day later. Within the same month, forces from the Amhara Region took over and occupied Western Tigray.

Offensives of joint Ethiopian, Amhara Region, and Eritrean forces into Tigray were facilitated by the intervention of armed drones launched by the United Arab Emirates from its base in Assab, Eritrea. The Chinese-made, armed drones bombed Tigrayan artillery and weapons depots. In the late hours of 13 November 2020, Tigray forces fired a rocket towards the airports of Bahir Dar and Gondar in the Amhara Region. On 14 November, Tigray forces launched rockets at the Eritrean capital of Asmara, but the missiles missed. The Tigray government claimed these locations contained military terminals that served as bases to carry out airstrikes.

Mekelle offensive

Main article: Mekelle offensive (2020)

From 17 to 19 November, Ethiopian forces captured the Raya district and the towns of Shire, Alamata, Adwa, and Axum, and began moving towards Adigrat. Fighting between Tigray and Eritrea took place in Adi Quala, Zalambessa, Taruna, Ali Tina, Wadqomdi, and Badme. On 23 November, Ethiopian forces reached the regional capital of Mekelle and encircled it. A military spokesperson for Ethiopia South Command announced that Mekelle would be shelled, and told Tigray civilians to flee the city because Ethiopian forces would show no mercy.

Though Tigray People's Liberation Front leaders and special forces had already left the city, Ethiopian forces continued their direct assault on Mekelle on the morning of 28 November and started heavily shelling the city. By the evening, Prime Minister Abiy declared Ethiopian forces had taken full control of the city. The Tigray government vowed to continue fighting.

Tigrayan guerrilla warfare (November 2020 – June 2021)

Formation of the Tigray Defense Forces

After Ethiopian federal forces and their allies captured Mekelle and other major cities, forces loyal to the Tigray government began to regroup into mountainous areas of the region and reorganized under the banner of the Tigray Defense Forces (TDF). This retreat was partially caused by the fact that a large portion of the TDF's artillery had been destroyed by air strikes. The TDF also began to dig into their positions in rural Tigray, marking the start of a guerrilla campaign against Ethiopian-allied forces from the mountains.

Eritrean occupation of the northeast

Main article: Eritrean involvement in the Tigray war

On 28 and 29 November, witnesses and survivors, including refugees in Sudan, reported that Eritrean forces carried out a massacre of about 700 to 800 civilians. Refugees also spoke of Eritrean forces killing people in Idaga Hamus on 30 November, as part of a larger series of extrajudicial killings.

A witness told a news outlet that, on 4 December, Eritrean troops entered her town in southeastern Tigray and attempted harmful actions; this statement is corroborated by other survivors and witnesses, who spoke of widespread destruction of civilian infrastructure committed by Eritrean forces. In February 2021, the UN chief coordinator of humanitarian efforts said that up to 40% of Tigray was not controlled by Ethiopian troops. Aside from Tigrayan rebel forces, he said that much of that area was under the control of Eritrean forces, pursuing their own objectives independent of Ethiopian command. By early March, residents said that the number of Eritrean soldiers in Tigray was in the thousands.

Continued insurgency

By mid-December, fighting had reached Hagere Selam, Samre, Dogu'a, Kola Tembien, May Tsemre and localities around Maychew. During this time, a violently enforced curfew was set up by Ethiopian forces along with Eritrean soldiers. According to a humanitarian organization, in Wukro over 200 people were killed and the town was left deserted. The Ethiopian government denied involvement in the killing.

On 9 January 2021, Ethiopian TV reported that 300 refugees in Hitsats camp were killed by Tigrayan forces. According to refugees, pro-Tigrayan forces used Hitsats as a base for several weeks in November 2020, killing several refugees who wanted to leave the camp to get food and, in one incident, killed nine young men in revenge for having lost a battle against Eritrean forces. On 18 February, unidentified militiamen ambushed a passenger bus in Adi Mesino, killing six and injuring 10.

Ultimately, the early gains made by Ethiopian and Eritrean forces against Tigrayan forces did not lead to a decisive defeat of the re-organized and invigorated TDF. In late January, the TDF had rallied and were intensifying their insurgency against Ethiopian forces despite the initial setbacks and heavy losses. During this time fighting was reported to have taken place around Mekelle, and the Ethiopian National Defense Force had retreated from rural positions towards the city. Several of these clashes took place in mid-February at Samre, a small town 45 km (28 mi) south-west of Mekelle. Thousands of Ethiopian troops supported by artillery, tanks, and airstrikes fought dug-in forces loyal to the Tigray regional government.

According to a report by a university, massacres of civilians continued into March, including around 250 in Humera over the course of three days by unconfirmed perpetrators. That same month, an undated video surfaced that purported to show Ethiopian troops executing 11 unarmed men before throwing their bodies off a cliff near Mahibere Dego.

TDF regains territory

Fighting intensified in early April; by this point, the TDF was in control of the rural areas of central and southern Tigray along with parts of eastern and south-eastern Tigray, while the Ethiopian National Defense Force was in control of the main roads and urban areas. Amhara and Eritrean forces also controlled parts of Tigray in the west and north, respectively. All sides wished to secure a military victory, but they lacked the ability to do so in the near term, and so they began to prepare for a prolonged conflict. The Tigray Defense Forces were engaged in a war of attrition with popular support from the people of Tigray, who were concerned about a potential decrease in the region's autonomy. This resulted in the TDF growing in strength and the concept of separation from Ethiopia gaining popularity in Tigray.

On 6 May, Ethiopia's House of Peoples' Representatives declared the Tigray People's Liberation Front as an organization to be avoided. On 21 May, Ethiopia's military prosecutors convicted 3 soldiers of harmful actions, and pressed charges against more than 50 others suspected of killing or harming civilians in Tigray.

Tigrayan counter-offensive (June – November 2021)

Retaking of Mekelle

Main article: Operation Alula

On 22 June 2021, an Ethiopian military cargo plane was shot down over Samre, marking a turn of the war in the TDF's favor. On 28 June 2021, the Tigray Defense Forces retook the city of Mekelle. People celebrated in the streets of Mekelle as the TDF took the city. Ethiopian soldiers, police and administrators were seen leaving, ahead of the occupation by the TDF. Shortly after hearing news of the TDF advance, the Ethiopian government declared an immediate unilateral ceasefire across the Tigray Region. A news reporter characterized the ceasefire as an attempt by Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed to save face, the government having little other option.

On 29 June, Tigrayan forces vowed to continue their offensive and drive into Eritrea or the Amhara Region if necessary, and said that Mekelle was 100% under the control of Tigrayan forces. On 30 June 2021, the TDF had entered the town of Shire, some 140 kilometres (87 mi) northwest of Mekelle, after it had been abandoned by Eritrean troops. The International Crisis Group claimed that the TDF now controlled most of the Tigray region. The Ethiopian government claimed, on 30 June, that it could re-enter Mekelle in less than three weeks if it wanted to. In the same announcement, the Ethiopian government stated that all Eritrean forces had withdrawn from the region, though this was not confirmed by the Eritrean government.

Tigrayan push in Afar and Amhara

On 6 July 2021, the Tigrayan government mobilised to retake western Tigray from Amhara forces. A TDF offensive starting on 12 July resulted in Tigrayan forces capturing southern Tigray, including the towns of Alamata and Korem. The TDF subsequently crossed the Tekezé River and advanced westward, capturing the town of Mai Tsebri in the Tselemti district, and prompting Amhara officials to call on its militias to arm themselves and mobilise. Following the TDF's rapid advances, Abiy threatened to resume war with Tigray and crush the rebels, raising fears of harm. He called on other regions of Ethiopia to mobilise their special forces. The Oromia, Sidama, and SNNPR regions answered the call and mobilised.

From 17 to 19 July, the TDF began launching attacks in the Afar Region to its east, prompting the Benishangul-Gumuz, Gambela, Harari and Somali regions to join the war. Heavy fighting in western Afar displaced over 54,000 people, and resulted in the TDF reportedly capturing three districts in the region.

While the Tigray government claimed it only entered Afar to target federal forces, experts believe their aim was to sever a portion of National Highway A1, a vital trade route for landlocked Ethiopia, linking the capital of Addis Ababa to the Port of Djibouti, from which most of its petroleum products are imported. Following the TDF's counter-attack on two districts of his region, the Amhara regional President, Agegnehu Teshager, called for the total mobilisation of all people of all ages who are armed in the region to fight against the Tigrayans. A similar call was made in Afar. Meanwhile, the city of Weldiya was captured by the TDF on 12 August 2021.

On 4 August 2021, some people declared themselves independent from the Amhara Region and formed a new group. The next day, Lalibela was reported to have been seized by Tigrayan forces. On 9 August, a director expressed concern about reports that over 200 people, including 100 children, had been killed in attacks on displaced families sheltering at a health facility and a school in the Afar Region. On 11 August, the TDF and another group announced an alliance to work together, saying they were also in talks with other rebel groups to establish a group of teams. With the TDF advancing deeper into Amhara, various cities across the region began enforcing curfews.

On 9 September 2021, the Ethiopian government claimed Tigrayan forces had been defeated in the Afar Region. A spokesperson said its forces had seen no fighting in Afar and had redeployed to the adjoining Amhara Region. On 30 September, amid UN concerns about a blockade of aid deliveries to Tigray, the Ethiopian government expelled 7 top UN officials, reportedly because of "meddling" in its internal affairs, giving the officials 72 hours to leave the country.

October 2021 government-allied offensive

On 8 October 2021, a spokesperson stated that an intensive air campaign by the Ethiopian Air Force began against TDF positions in the North Wollo and North Gondar zones of the Amhara Region, mostly around the towns of Wegeltena, Wurgessa and Haro. He also stated there was a "massive build up of forces on all fronts." The federal government and Amhara regional government did not respond to the claim. On 11 October, Ethiopian-allied forces launched coordinated ground attacks "on all fronts" against the TDF with combined arms including tanks, helicopters, heavy artillery, warplanes, and drones according to the Tigrayan government. A general said both sides had been preparing for the offensive for months, and predicted that battle would be "decisive".

The new offensive effectively ended the unilateral ceasefire declared by the federal government in June and further deepened concerns, with a federal government blockade still preventing most aid from arriving. Meanwhile, the continued war prompted regional leaders, including Kenyan President Kenyatta, to voice their concerns and urge peace, while US Secretary of State Blinken met with the AU envoy to Ethiopia, former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo, to discuss the crisis.

On 13 October, a spokesperson claimed fighting continued intensifying with "staggering" casualties. He also claimed clashes were taking place near Weldiya and that fighting had resumed in Afar, within the Awra and Chifra districts near the Amhara border. A humanitarian worker citing witnesses said forces were fighting the TDF in Berhale, a town in Afar 71 kilometres (44 mi) northeast of Mekelle.

TDF-OLA joint offensive (October – December 2021)

Main article: TDF–OLA joint offensive

Further information: OLA insurgency

Fall of Dessie and Kombolcha

On 30 October, it was reported that Dessie had fallen to the TDF. However, control over the city was not immediately certain, with the federal government denying its capture and reports of fierce fighting coming from the town. On 31 October, the TDF claimed to have captured Kombolcha, a town 21 km (13 mi) east of Dessie, and the Ethiopian government accused the TDF of killing over 100 young people in the town. On the same day, the Amhara regional government declared a state of emergency, which included a region-wide curfew.

South of Kombolcha, another group claimed to have seized control over Kemise on the A2 Highway which links Mekelle to the Ethiopian capital of Addis Ababa, and later declared they were considering an offensive towards the capital. The TDF claimed they also linked up with this group. Meanwhile, it was reported that a new rounding up of people had occurred in Addis Ababa.

State of emergency and rebel coalition

Further information: 2021–2022 Ethiopian state of emergency

On 2 November 2021, as the counter-offensive came deeper into federal-controlled territory, the Ethiopian government declared a six-month state of emergency, which envisages the possibility to arrest and detain critics of the government without a court warrant, impose curfews, institute censorship, restrict freedom of movement as well as to call any adult person to fight in the war, for fear of serving from three to ten years in prison. Authorities in Addis Ababa also told residents to register their weapons in order to fend off the anticipated offensive. Four other regional governments also made a call to arms. On 5 November, the Tigray People's Liberation Front, another group and other rebel groups declared the creation of a group of teams, called the United Front of Ethiopian Federalist and Confederalist Forces.

On 22 November, a leader stated that he will be leading the fight against the rebels from the battlefront after the TDF claimed to have captured Shewa Robit, saying; "We are now in the final stages of saving Ethiopia." Many countries also urged citizens to leave the country.

Government-allied counter-offensive (November 2021 – March 2022)

Main article: ENDF National Unity Offensive

From 26 November to 6 December 2021, Ethiopian allied forces recaptured several towns in the Amhara and Afar regions including Lalibela and Shewa Robit, according to the Ethiopian government. On 6 December, government forces claimed to have recaptured the strategic cities of Dessie and Kombolcha. This was later confirmed by a spokesperson; however, he claimed this was a strategic withdrawal, which was "part of their plan". On 12 December, news reported that forces loyal to the Tigray People's Liberation Front had recaptured the town of Lalibela less than two weeks after government forces and their allies had recaptured control of the town for themselves. Nevertheless, by the end of the month, the federal government had successfully repelled the incursion towards Addis Ababa, and Tigrayan forces were pushed back to Tigray.

Fighting slows down

On 20 December 2021, the Tigray People's Liberation Front announced they had withdrawn their troops from Amhara and Afar, saying they were hoping to create, as stated by a chairman, "a decisive opening for peace". The chairman also requested the establishment of a no-fly zone over Tigray, as well as a weapons embargo against Ethiopia and Eritrea. Following these developments, the Ethiopian National Defense Force stated that it would not advance any deeper into the Tigray region. However, in January 2022, the Ethiopian Air Force began launching a bombing campaign in the Tigray Region, killing 108 people, including at least 56 from an airstrike targeting an IDP camp in Dedebit.

On 7 January – the same day as the Dedebit airstrike – Ethiopia released a number of opposition leaders from prison, including some from the Tigray People's Liberation Front, and said they desired to have a dialogue with the Tigrayan leadership. On 26 January, the Ethiopian council of ministers also proposed to end the state of emergency.

Ceasefire period (March – August 2022)

Further information: Tigrayan peace process § Ceasefire period (March–August 2022)

On 24 March 2022, the Ethiopian government declared an indefinite humanitarian truce, in order to allow the delivery of humanitarian aid into Tigray. During the ceasefire, both Ethiopia and the Tigray People's Liberation Front agreed to have talks about an official end to the war. A number of outstanding issues – in particular, the presence of pro-government troops in Tigray's Western Zone and restoring access to basic public service to Tigray – were topics of discussion throughout. Though there were initial hopes of finding a peaceful solution to ending the war, the talks soon became characterized by steadily increasing hostilities between the negotiation parties. By August, talks started to break down, with both the Ethiopian government and the Tigray People's Liberation Front accusing each other of refusing to make peace.

Resurgence of fighting (August – November 2022)

In late August 2022, after months of ceasefire, fighting resumed. Both sides blamed each other for initiating the fighting, and both also expressed frustration "for a lack of progress towards negotiations to end the 21-month conflict." The fighting itself concentrated in the border area connecting Tigray, Amhara and Afar. Allegations emerged that the Tigray were smuggling in weapons, leading to the Ethiopian Air Force shooting down a plane, claiming it was carrying weapons for the Tigray People's Liberation Front; meanwhile, the government was accused of indiscriminate air bombardments on civilian targets. Civilians reported that pro-government militias had gotten involved as well. Exacerbating tensions were severe food shortages, an issue that remained unsolved have particularly affected the Tigray region.

Joint Eritrean–Ethiopian offensive

On 27 August, the Tigray Defense Forces captured the town of Kobo, following the Ethiopian National Defense Force's withdrawal. Ethiopia and Eritrea subsequently announced an offensive in North Tigray on 1 September. On 13 September 2022, the Tigray People's Liberation Front said Eritrea had taken Sheraro. The town's capture by Eritrea and the fighting in nearby areas displaced around 210,000 people, most of whom fled to the city of Shire. A day later Ethiopian airstrikes on Mekelle killed at least ten people. By mid-September, reports emerged of Eritrea engaging in mass mobilization of the country's reservists to be sent to Tigray.

On 20 September, the government of Tigray said Eritrea had invaded the region, and that heavy fighting was taking place across northern Tigray. The Tigray Defense Forces had, thus far, largely resisted the offensive, and reportedly launched a counterattack to retake Sheraro. Meanwhile, Ethiopian and Eritrean forces began massing in Abala and Berhale in the Afar Region, within striking distance of Mekelle. On 27 September, an airstrike – allegedly carried out by Eritrea – struck the northern town of Adi Dairo while it was celebrating a holiday, killing at least six civilians and injured 19 more. On 2 October, the Tigray People's Liberation Front announced it had withdrawn troops from Amhara's North Wollo Zone, including Kobo, to be redeployed north to reinforce lines under heavy Eritrean attack but warned it would return if their southern border is threatened. Three days later, a second airstrike hit Adi Dairo, killing between 50 and 65 people according to aid workers in the town.

Full-scale mobilization

Further information: Battle of Shire (2022)

On 10 October, the Tigray People's Liberation Front claimed that Eritrea was escalating its offensive, sending more forces towards Rama, Tserona, and Zalambessa in the far north, with one aid worker saying it is the heaviest fighting since hostilities resumed. Later reports confirmed that Eritrea was intensifying its efforts to mobilize more troops for the war; it detained people, and sought draft-dodgers. Tigray mobilized its citizens too, calling on every able-bodied person to join the fight. Amidst the three-front offensive launched by Ethiopia and Eritrea, estimates put the number of Ethiopian casualties at over 90,000 in a single month, while Tigrayan casualties were also deemed incredibly high. According to a researcher, it is likely that 100,000 people had been killed over the preceding few weeks, and alleged that Eritrea and Ethiopia were using attacks to overwhelm Tigrayan defenses.

On 17 October, Ethiopia said that it would seize every airport and other key infrastructure in the region; that same day, the strategic city of Shire was taken by Eritrea and Ethiopia, leading to the evacuation of thousands of its inhabitants. Ethiopian forces then took Alamata and Korem in the south. By 22 October, Ethiopian National Defense Force and Eritrean Defence Forces-allied forces had also captured Adwa and Axum, even as peace talks with the Tigray People's Liberation Front were about to commence in South Africa. Witnesses from a number of towns told a news outlet that Eritrean forces were regularly killing civilians between 23 and 29 October.

Second ceasefire (November 2022)

Main article: Ethiopia–Tigray peace agreement

On 25 October 2022, an official announced that peace talks involving the Ethiopian government and the Tigray People's Liberation Front had commenced in Pretoria, South Africa. Hopes that these talks could definitively stop the war, however, remained low, as fighting did not appear to slow down, and Ethiopia vocalized their distrust about the peace process. Still, negotiations continued onward, and on 2 November, Ethiopia and the Tigray People's Liberation Front announced that they had signed an agreement for a cessation of hostilities (made effective the next day on 3 November, marking the second anniversary of the war); however, Eritrea and other warring parties were not involved in the agreement, leaving their status ambiguous. On 12 November, both parties signed a deal to allow humanitarian aid into Tigray. By 29 December, federal police were reported to have returned to Tigray, while flights and internet access had also been restored.

Despite important steps towards peace and deescalation being made between the government and the Tigray People's Liberation Front, Amhara and Eritrean forces continued to launch attacks on Tigrayans in the months after the agreement was signed.

Spillover

The war caused problems for nearby countries, especially Sudan.

Sudan

Main article: Al-Fashaga conflict

By late 2020, about 44,000 people from Ethiopia ran to Sudan to stay safe. By early 2021, this number grew to over 60,000. These refugee camps in Sudan, like Um Rakuba and Tunaydbah, had trouble getting enough food and shelter.

On December 15, 2020, a fight happened near the border between Ethiopia and Sudan. Sudan said Ethiopian forces and local groups attacked their soldiers. Ethiopia said they were trying to stop Sudan from taking their land.

Because of this, Sudan put more soldiers near the border, making tensions worse between the two countries over a disputed area called Al-Fashaga. This led to more fights in 2021 and 2022.

Al-Shabaab invasion

Main article: Al-Shabaab invasion of Ethiopia

In July 2022, a group called al-Shabaab moved into Ethiopia from Somalia. Some experts think that because the Tigray war made Ethiopia weaker, al-Shabaab saw a good chance to attack.

International involvement

Further information: Eritrean involvement in the Tigray war

Many countries and groups were involved in the war in different ways. Some reports said that China, Turkey, and the United Arab Emirates may have helped the Ethiopian government by sending military tools, including special flying weapons called drones. These drones were said to have helped Ethiopian forces win some battles.

There were also reports that soldiers from Somalia might have been involved, but these reports were not proven true. Some people said Somali soldiers were trained in Eritrea and possibly sent to fight, but the Somali government denied these claims and said their troops were never sent to the area of the war.

Casualties and human rights violations

Main articles: Casualties of the Tigray war and War crimes in the Tigray war

The Tigray war caused many deaths and serious problems for people. By May 2023, experts believed that between 162,000 and 378,000 people had died because of fighting, hunger, and lack of medical help. In 2022 alone, more than 100,000 people died in battles. All sides in the war were accused of doing very wrong things, breaking laws meant to protect people during wars.

Crimes against humanity and genocide allegations

Main article: War crimes in the Tigray war § Crimes against humanity

Some groups accused the leaders of Ethiopia and Eritrea of doing very harmful things to people from the Tigray area. They said these leaders wanted to hurt or remove all Tigrayans for a long time. The leaders of Ethiopia denied these claims. There were also reports of harmful actions by the other side in the war.

Ethnic profiling of Tigrayans

Main article: Ethnic discrimination in Ethiopia § Tigray war

People from the Tigray area were treated unfairly during the war. They were stopped from traveling, fired from jobs, and even had their bank accounts frozen. Many were treated badly just because of their background.

Investigations

Investigations into the wrong actions during the war were carried out by groups like the Ethiopian Human Rights Commission and the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights.

Humanitarian crisis

In February 2021, groups helping people found that many children in Tigray were not getting enough food. In some places, about one in six children needed extra food because they were not healthy.

Clean water was hard to find because many water systems were broken. This made people worry about getting sick.

The United Nations said that most health centres in Tigray were not working well. Hospitals did not have enough medicine or supplies.

In late October 2022, the main hospital in Tigray said it was running out of medical supplies and might close soon. Childhood vaccinations dropped from nearly all children to just a small number.

Humanitarian aid

Further information: Famine in northern Ethiopia (2020–present)

The United Nations said that about 2.3 million children were not getting the help they needed. The Ethiopian government made it hard for aid to reach Tigray. By March 2021, aid groups had helped about 900,000 people with food and clean water, but many more still needed help because fighting made it hard to reach them.

By summer 2022, the government still blocked many supplies from reaching Tigray. The World Food Programme said that very little aid was getting to the people who needed it most because there was not enough fuel to transport it. On 25 August, they said that some fuel meant for aid had been taken.

By October 2022, around 30 million people in Ethiopia needed help.

Internal and forced displacement

In December 2020, the United Nations said more than one million people had to leave their homes because of the fighting. Over 50,000 people ran away to Sudan. By March 2021, Shire became a main place for people who had to leave their homes and for giving out aid.

In September 2021, the situation got worse in Tigray, Afar and Amhara because of the fighting and because some groups would not let aid in.

By September 2022, about 574,000 more people had to leave their homes after fighting started again in August. Over 870,000 people became refugees.

Western Zone of Tigray

Main article: War crimes in the Tigray war § Ethnic cleansing of Tigrayans in the Western Zone

In November 2020, forces from the Amhara Region took control of the western part of Tigray. They said they wanted to settle an old land argument. Since then, many people had to leave because of violence and threats.

Refugees in Sudan

Further information: Ethiopian refugees in Sudan

Some people who ran to Sudan for safety faced more danger. Many said they were hurt and taken to places far away.

Eritrean refugees

Further information: Refoulement of Eritrean refugees during the Tigray war

In November 2020, the United Nations said that nearly 100,000 refugees from Eritrea in Tigray were running out of supplies. By February 2021, 20,000 refugees were missing.

Internet and media

The Tigray war did not get as much attention from the world as other conflicts happening at the same time.

Role of online social networks

Main article: Mass media in Ethiopia

After the fighting began, many new accounts on Twitter appeared. Most of these were real people trying to tell the world about what was happening, even though it was hard to share information. The Ethiopian government said there was false information online and used this as a reason to stop people from sharing news. Some researchers think that when people can’t check facts easily, false stories can spread more.

In July 2021, reports showed that some groups were working together to share messages on social media about the conflict. The government tried to say it was the only source of true information. Groups supporting the government and others supporting the Tigray people used similar ways to share their sides of the story online. Both sides sometimes used old or changed pictures to support their views.

Researchers noticed that some groups used websites to tell people to create new accounts and copy and paste messages to share online. While most of the content was from people who truly believed in their cause, the line between real political activity and trying to trick people online became blurry.

Facebook

Facebook was criticized for not stopping harmful messages that made ethnic groups angry during the war. Some people accused Facebook of helping to create situations where people were treated very badly because of their ethnicity.

Restriction of media coverage

Further information: Democratic backsliding in Ethiopia and Internet in Ethiopia

The Ethiopian government often tried to stop reporters from covering the war. In November 2021, the government threatened to take away the licences of news groups like BBC News, Reuters, CNN and Associated Press, saying they were spreading stories that caused anger between people and hurt the country’s reputation. The government said these reports made it seem like a very bad situation when they were trying to help in Tigray.

In May 2022, many journalists were arrested. One official said this was to keep peace and remove people the government saw as enemies.

Because of these restrictions, it became very hard to get news about the war. Journalists, both from Ethiopia and other countries, said it was dangerous to report on the war because they could be arrested or even hurt. By December 2021, a group that protects journalists said Ethiopia and Eritrea were among the worst places in sub-Saharan Africa for journalists to work.

Peace process

Main article: Tigrayan peace process

Many ideas for talking and working out problems were suggested by groups involved in the fighting. These included an urgent meeting in December 2020, statements in February 2021 about what needed to happen before peace could begin, a group of countries trying to help in July–August 2021, and talks between Ethiopian and Tigrayan leaders from March to August 2022.

On 2 November 2022, leaders from Ethiopia and Tigray signed an agreement to work toward peace, helped by the African Union. The agreement started on 3 November, the exact day two years after the war began. As a result, the leader of Ethiopia chose a leader from Tigray to help guide the region, and the country's parliament no longer listed Tigray's leaders as a threat.

Reactions

Main article: Reactions to the Tigray war

Many people and groups expressed their thoughts and feelings about the Tigray war around the world. In May 2022, authorities in Tigray created a special group called the Commission of Inquiry on Tigray Genocide to learn more about what happened during the conflict. This group shared their findings in a report in October 2025.

Aftermath

The war caused serious damage to healthcare in Tigray. Many health facilities were damaged or destroyed, making it hard for people to get medical help. The number of mothers and babies who died increased a lot during this time.

The war also hurt Ethiopia's economy. It cost a lot of money to repair the damage, and the country's debt grew. Some foreign countries stopped giving money to Ethiopia because of concerns about how people were being treated. Prices for things like food went up, making it harder for families to buy what they needed.

Even after a peace agreement, some areas of Tigray were still occupied by forces from a neighboring country. There were reports of people being treated very badly and not allowed to receive help from others.

In early 2026, fighting started again in some parts of Tigray. Some groups accused the government of not keeping the peace agreement and causing the new fighting.