TPLF says Ethiopia mobilizing troops toward Tigray

The Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) on Monday accused the Ethiopian government of preparing for a new round of war against the Tigray region, warning of large-scale troop deployments, the movement of heavy weaponry, and renewed attacks on civilians. At the same time, the group reiterated its stated “commitment to peace and dialogue.”

The TPLF said the people of Tigray and their political leadership have remained committed to resolving disputes through peaceful political dialogue, even during the two-year conflict, which the group says amounted to genocide against the region’s population.

According to the TPLF, this position remained unchanged following the November 2022 Pretoria Agreement, which ended active hostilities between federal forces and Tigrayan fighters. The group said Tigrayan authorities have repeatedly called for the full implementation of the agreement, including the “establishment of an African Union–led monitoring mechanism and a comprehensive assessment of conditions on the ground.”

The TPLF accused the Ethiopian government of violating the Pretoria Agreement by allowing what it described as “hostile and invading armed forces” to continue occupying territory it says is constitutionally part of Tigray. It said the continued presence of these forces has prolonged the suffering of the civilian population. The group further alleged that, since last week, Ethiopian forces have carried out aerial and ground attacks targeting both Tigrayan forces and civilians, resulting in civilian deaths. It also claimed the federal government is mobilizing large numbers of troops and heavy weapons toward Tigray in preparation for what it described as another “bloody war.”

Some opposition figures have also pointed to what they describe as growing troop movements. Prominent opposition politician Jawar Mohammed said that “most divisions of the Ethiopian National Defence Force (ENDF) have left Oromia in recent days, heading north toward Tigray and Eritrea.”

These developments follow weeks of rising tensions between Addis Ababa and Mekelle. Earlier this month, clashes were reported in parts of the disputed territories along the Amhara–Tigray boundary, with reports also indicating the use of drone strikes. However, speaking to Tigray Television, Tigray’s interim president, General Tadesse Worede, said Tigrayan forces had withdrawn from the contested areas. He described the move as a “confidence-building measure aimed at demonstrating readiness for dialogue and a peaceful resolution to the current tensions.”

The situation is developing amid renewed strain in relations between Ethiopia and Eritrea. Addis Ababa has accused Eritrea of occupying Ethiopian territory and, late last year, alleged that Asmara was working with elements of the TPLF to wage war against the federal government, as well as arming Amhara insurgent groups in the Amhara region. Eritrea has denied all of these allegations.