UN Secretary-General António Guterres expressed that he is “gravely concerned” by the sudden outbreak of intense military clashes across northern Ethiopia, warning that foreign intervention and fresh fighting threaten to ignite a wider crisis across the Horn of Africa.
In a high-level diplomatic statement issued in New York by UN Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric, the Secretary-General called for an immediate cessation of hostilities and urged all belligerents to prevent further destabilization.
“The Secretary-General is gravely concerned by the resumption of hostilities,” Dujarric said, noting that renewed fighting across the Tigray, Afar, and Amhara regions risks triggering a broader regional conflict.
The sudden flare-up of violence threatens to dismantle the historic 2022 Pretoria Agreement, the diplomatic framework that successfully halted two years of fighting between federal troops and the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF).
Guterres urged all signing parties to honor the accord and return immediately to dialogue under its framework, offering the good offices of the UN to mediate. He further reminded neighboring states of their obligations under the UN Charter to respect territorial integrity and refrain from interfering in domestic affairs.
The UN warning comes as diplomatic relations between Addis Ababa and Asmara reach a boiling point. In a formal letter to the UN Security Council, Ethiopia’s foreign minister accused Eritrean troops of launching an “all-out invasion,” claiming foreign forces had advanced up to 60 kilometers into Tigrayan territory.
Eritrea’s government rejected the claims, accusing Addis Ababa of orchestrating an “unprovoked war of aggression” aimed at forcing regime change in Asmara. Eritrean officials also denied Ethiopian allegations that Asmara was backing TPLF forces.
Military reports indicate that combat intensified this week, with Ethiopian drone strikes hitting positions near the northern town of Adigrat. On the ground, federal troops have regained control of Tigray’s regional capital, Mekelle, following a tactical withdrawal by TPLF forces last week.
The military escalation has thrown humanitarian operations into disarray. UN Humanitarian Chief Tom Fletcher appealed to all warring factions to grant immediate, safe access for relief convoys attempting to deliver emergency food and medical assistance.
Fresh fighting has displaced thousands of civilians across central, northwestern, and eastern Tigray, though verified casualty and displacement figures remain unavailable due to ongoing combat.
In neighboring Amhara, a government program designed to return displaced families from the town of Kobo to their home villages was abruptly halted following a sharp breakdown in local security. Humanitarian agencies stressed that any future civilian relocations must remain safe, voluntary, and dignified.
