Internet restricted after fighting breaks out in Ethiopia's Tigray region

What Happened

Fighting erupted this week between the Ethiopian National Defence Force (ENDF) and the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF), leading to a significant disruption of internet and telecommunications services in the Tigray region. According to NetBlocks and humanitarian worker Duke Burbridge, Ethio Telecom services were severed, while Safaricom networks remain partially operational. Reuters reported that the TPLF allegedly initiated the communications blackout to counter government drone operations, though the group has not issued a formal statement. Clashes have been reported near the town of Abala on the Afar-Tigray border, where federal forces reportedly engaged in drone strikes to prevent TPLF incursions. Additionally, the TPLF reportedly seized control of three airports, prompting Ethiopian Airlines to cancel all flights to the region.

Key Actors

Why It Matters

The resumption of hostilities threatens the stability established by the November 2022 Pretoria Agreement, raising concerns of a return to large-scale civil war. The disruption of financial and communication infrastructure in Tigray risks exacerbating the humanitarian crisis in a region still recovering from a conflict that resulted in an estimated 600,000 deaths and widespread famine-like conditions.

Watch For

Monitor for further reports on the extent of TPLF territorial gains in Amhara and Afar, as well as any official statements from the federal government regarding the status of the Pretoria Agreement. Continued flight cancellations by Ethiopian Airlines and the duration of the telecommunications blackout will serve as indicators of the conflict's intensity and geographic spread.