Tigrayan leaders say new war with Ethiopian government has begun, as fighting erupts

Key Points:

• Tigray forces launched a major offensive against Ethiopia's federal government, breaking a four-year-old peace deal and raising fears of a wider regional conflict involving neighboring areas Afar and Amhara.
• The Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF) described their actions as a defensive war against federal aggression, following months of escalating tensions and a recent alliance formed with six other armed groups aiming to overthrow Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed.
• The conflict risks expanding amid existing instability in the region, including the ongoing civil war in Sudan and Eritrea's alleged financial backing of anti-government groups, although Eritrea denies involvement.
• Armed groups such as the Fano militia have shifted alliances, now fighting alongside Tigrayan forces, while the federal government has conducted drone strikes in Tigray, including one that hit a humanitarian convoy, drawing international condemnation.
• Both sides accuse each other of violating the Pretoria Agreement, with the TPLF recently reclaiming regional control in Tigray and the federal government responding with military actions, deepening the crisis in Ethiopia.