Clashes between the Ethiopian army and Tigrayan forces have led to hundreds of civilians crossing [12] into neighboring Sudan, marking another serious threat to a 2022 peace agreement [17]. Heavy artillery and drones were used during the fighting, which was concentrated in contested western Tigray. Both sides have been amassing troops in recent months and there has been a significant recruitment drive in Tigray, where regional authorities have forcibly conscripted civilians, including children, according to Human Rights Watch [13].
Close to a million Tigrayans have been unable to return to their homes despite the peace deal, and have struggled to recover [14] from the ethnic cleansing and siege campaign carried out by the Ethiopian army and its allies during the 2020-2022 conflict. A return to war would likely involve Eritrea, and could pull in Sudan, merging two of the deadliest conflicts in recent history [15].
From The New Humanitarian [18], Aug. 7
