Hundreds Flee Ethiopia’s Tigray Conflict Amid Rising Civil War Fears

Sun Sep 06 2026 03:10:17 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

Hundreds escape to Sudan as clashes erupt in Tigray, raising alarms of a new civil war. TPLF clashes with federal forces spark urgent humanitarian scramble.

Hundreds from Tigray fled into Sudan after intense fighting erupted between the TPLF and the Ethiopian army in Shererina. The clash, marked by heavy artillery and drones, broke out over the weekend and is a sign of the fragile peace that ended a two‑year civil war in 2022. With the TPLF regaining control of Tigray and the interim government struggling to enforce the peace deal, fears rise of a full‑scale conflict that could spill over into Sudan’s own civil struggle. Both sides have accused each other of provocations, while Ethiopian minister Abraham Belay has called for dialogue, warning of worse consequences if war continues. Casualty numbers are unclear, but witnesses report civilians and wounded fighters fleeing across the border.

Hundreds Flee Ethiopia’s Tigray Conflict Amid Rising Civil War Fears

Hundreds of people from Ethiopia’s Tigray region have crossed into Sudan after fierce weekend clashes between local forces and the Ethiopian army erupted near the border town of Shererina.

The fighting, featuring heavy artillery and drones, is the most serious on the front since the end of the area’s two‑year civil war in 2022. Tigray’s liberation group, the TPLF, claims the federal offensive violated the peace agreement and sought to divide the people of Tigray.

The TPLF has regained control of its region by pushing out the interim administration created by the 2022 peace deal, leaving the federal government’s mandate in question. The conflict now threatens to spark a new civil war, especially as Sudan’s own civil war could spill over, with each side backing opposing Ethiopian factions.

Both sides blame the other for the Sunday‑night violence. TPLF officials accuse the federation of launching an "open war", while federal minister Abraham Belay says the clashes began on the TPLF side and warns of "worse consequences" if the conflict continues.

"Today, it is better to reach out for peace before destruction," Belay wrote in a social‑media post urging negotiations over war.

Casualty figures are still uncertain; witnesses report civilians and wounded fighters fleeing into Sudan, with explosions and aircraft overhead during the fighting.

Shererina’s location is crucial because the western part of Tigray has long been contested between Tigray and the southern province of Amhara. Its strategic position makes it a battlefield that could reshape Ethiopia’s stability.