Micah Jonah
January 31, 2026
At least one person has been killed, another injured in drone strikes in Ethiopia’s northern Tigray region, raising fresh fears of a return to conflict between federal forces and regional actors.
A senior Tigrayan official said on Saturday that the strikes targeted two Isuzu trucks near the towns of Enticho and Gendebta, about 20 kilometres apart. The official accused the Ethiopian National Defence Force of carrying out the attacks but did not present evidence.
A local humanitarian worker also confirmed that the drone strikes occurred. Both sources spoke on condition of anonymity, according to Reuters. It remains unclear what the trucks were carrying at the time of the attack.
Images shared by TPLF affiliated outlet Dimtsi Weyane on social media showed damaged trucks, which the outlet claimed were transporting food and cooking supplies. However, pro government activists online alleged the vehicles were carrying weapons.
The incident comes amid renewed tension in Tigray, where clashes earlier this week were reported in Tsemlet, a disputed area in western Tigray claimed by forces from the neighbouring Amhara region.
Ethiopia’s federal army fought forces loyal to the Tigray People’s Liberation Front for two years until late 2022 in a devastating war that researchers say killed hundreds of thousands through violence, famine and the collapse of healthcare services.
Despite the November 2022 peace agreement, tensions have persisted over unresolved issues, including contested territories, the presence of Amhara and Eritrean troops in Tigray, and delays in the disarmament of Tigrayan forces.
The region is also facing a deepening humanitarian crisis, worsened by cuts to United States Agency for International Development funding last year. Aid groups say up to 80 percent of Tigray’s population now requires emergency assistance.
The African Union chairperson, Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, has urged all parties to exercise restraint and resolve outstanding disputes through dialogue, stressing the need to protect the gains achieved under the 2022 cessation of hostilities agreement.
