UN rights chief warns Tigray situation is “highly volatile”

The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, has warned that renewed fighting in Ethiopia’s Tigray region risks plunging the area into a deeper human rights and humanitarian crisis, urging all parties to take immediate steps to de-escalate tensions.

Türk said the situation in northern Ethiopia remains “highly volatile” following reports of intensified clashes between federal and regional forces. “We fear it will further deteriorate, worsening the region’s already precarious human rights and humanitarian situation,” he warned.

Türk stressed that urgent, coordinated action was needed to prevent a return to large-scale violence. “There must be concerted and sustained efforts by all parties, with the help of the international community, to de-escalate tensions before it is too late,” he said, calling for political dialogue and confidence-building measures rather than renewed reliance on armed force.

He also expressed alarm over reports that civilians are increasingly bearing the brunt of the escalating tensions. “Civilians are once again caught in between, with both TSF and ENDF reportedly carrying out arrests for perceived affiliation with the opposing side. This must stop,” Türk said.

The UN rights chief urged all sides to step back from confrontation and pursue political solutions. “Alleged serious violations or abuses must be promptly and independently investigated, irrespective of the perpetrators,” he added.

Türk’s warning comes as tensions across Tigray have once again begun to rise. The Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) has recently accused the Ethiopian government of massing troops from across the country and deploying them toward the region, raising fears of a renewed escalation of the conflict.

At the same time, relations between Addis Ababa and Asmara have grown increasingly strained, amid allegations that Eritrea is providing support to insurgent groups operating inside Ethiopia. Türk’s statement adds to a growing chorus of international calls for restraint and dialogue as the only sustainable path toward peace. The African Union has also urged “maximum restraint,” warning that any renewed fighting could further destabilize the region and reverse fragile peace efforts.