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Tigray War
Part of the Ethiopian civil conflict (2018–present)
A man passing by a destroyed T-72 tank in Idaga Hamus; destroyed building in Chifra; cemetery for victims of the Mai Kadra massacre; an IDP camp in Shire; A house destroyed during a battle to control Hawzen
Date
3 November 2020[a] – 3 November 2022 (2 years)
Location
Tigray, Amhara, and Afar regions of Ethiopia; Eritrea; Eritrea–Ethiopia border; Spillovers in Al Qadarif, Sudan
Result
The government and the TPLF formally agreed to a cessation of hostilities and systematic, verifiable disarmament (2 November 2022)[21][22][23]
Second agreement for implementing the peace deal signed by both parties (12 November 2022)[24][25][26]
5,600 killed, 2,300 injured, 2,000 captured (Ethiopian military claim)[39]
Exact casualty figures are disputed
3 UN guards and 23 aid workers killed[40]
875,879+ refugees[41] (20,000 missing)[42]
2,750,000 internally displaced[41]
13,000,000 in need of food aid[43]
Total deaths:
80,000–100,000+ (per Ethiopian officials)[44]
162,000–600,000+ (per Ghent University)[45][46]
v
t
e
Post–1960 conflicts in the Horn of Africa
Eritrean War of Independence
Eritrean civil wars
1961 revolt in Somalia
Bale revolt
Somali–Kenyan conflict
Shifta
Rhamu
Ethiopian–Somali conflict
1963 Ogaden Rebellion
1964
Ogaden
1982
2022 Al-Shabaab
Oromo conflict
Ethiopian Civil War
Somali Civil War
Rebellion
Puntland–Somaliland
2006–09
2009–present
Somaliland War of Independence
Djiboutian Civil War
Insurgency in Ogaden
2007–08
Second Afar insurgency
Gedeo–Guji clashes
Hanish Islands conflict
Eritrean–Ethiopian War
border conflict
OEF – Horn of Africa
Djiboutian–Eritrean conflict
Ethiopian civil conflict
Afar–Somali
Oromia–Somali
OLA insurgency
Benishangul-Gumuz
Tigray War
War in Amhara
Al-Fashaga conflict
v
t
e
Tigray War
Battles
Northern Command (2020)
Humera (2020)
Asmara (2020)
Mekelle (2020)
Operation Alula (2021)
Tigrayan offensive (2021)
TDF–OLA joint offensive (2021)
National Unity offensive (2021)
Shire (2022)
Massacres
2020
Axum
1st Wukro
Gijet
3rd Wukro
Goda
Hagere Selam
Hitsats
Mai Kadra
2nd Wukro
Zalambessa
Ziban Gedena
2021
Bora
Chenna
Debano
Galikoma
Guh
Kombolcha
Mahbere Dego
Mekelle
Kola Tembien
Zamr
Kobo
4th Wukro
2022
Adi Daero
Berhale
Dedebit
Mai Tsebri
Mekelle kindergarten
The Tigray War[b] was an armed conflict that lasted from 3 November 2020[a] to 3 November 2022.[51][52] The war was primarily fought in the Tigray Region of Ethiopia between forces allied to the Ethiopian federal government and Eritrea on one side, and the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF) on the other.[53][54]
After years of increased tensions and hostilities between the TPLF and the governments of Ethiopia and Eritrea, fighting began when Tigrayan security forces attacked the Northern Command headquarters of the Ethiopian National Defense Force (ENDF), alongside a number of other bases in Tigray.[55] The ENDF counterattacked from the south – while Eritrean Defence Forces (EDF) began launching attacks from the north – which Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed described as a "law enforcement operation".[56][57] Federal allied forces captured Mekelle, the capital of the Tigray Region, on 28 November, after which Abiy declared the operation "over."[58][59] However, the TPLF stated soon afterwards that it would continue fighting until the "invaders" were out,[60][61] and on 28 June 2021, the Tigray Defense Forces (TDF) retook Mekelle; by July the same year, they had also advanced into the Amhara and Afar regions.[62] In early November 2021, the TDF, together with the Oromo Liberation Army (OLA), took control of several towns on the highway south from Tigray Region towards Addis Ababa, and the TPLF stated that it considered "marching on [the capital]."[63][64] Together with seven smaller rebel groups, the TPLF and OLA declared a coalition aiming to "dismantle Abiy's government by force or by negotiations, and then form a transitional authority."[65]
After a successful government counter-offensive in response, and then a series of negotiations with the TPLF, Ethiopia declared an indefinite humanitarian truce on 24 March 2022, in order to allow the delivery of humanitarian aid into Tigray.[66] However, fighting dramatically re-escalated in late August 2022, after peace talks broke down.[67] Rapid mobilization of troops soon followed, with Ethiopia, Eritrea and Tigray reportedly organizing hundreds of thousands of troops against each other by October the same year.[30] After a number of peace and mediation proposals in the intervening years, Ethiopia and the Tigrayan rebel forces agreed to a cessation of hostilities on 2 November, which went into effect the day after;[52] Eritrea was not a party to the agreement, however,[68] and they largely continued to occupy parts of Tigray as of 2023.[69]
All sides, particularly the ENDF, EDF, Amhara forces and TDF, committed war crimes during the conflict.[70][71][72][73][74] Mass extrajudicial killings of civilians took place throughout, including in Axum,[75] Bora,[76] Chenna,[77][78] Kobo,[79][80] the Hitsats refugee camp,[81] Humera,[82] Mai Kadra,[74][83] the Debre Abay monastery,[76][84] and Zalambessa.[85] Between 162,000–600,000 people were killed,[46][45] and war rape became a "daily" occurrence, with girls as young as 8 and women as old as 72 being raped, often in front of their families.[86][87] A major humanitarian crisis developed as a result of the war,[41] which led to widespread famine.[88][43] It also inflicted immense economic damage on the region, with the cost of rebuilding alone estimated to be roughly $20 billion.[89]
^"Regional Special Forces Pose Threat to Peace and Security in Ethiopia". Ipi Global Observatory. 22 February 2021. Archived from the original on 22 February 2021.
^ abcdEndeshaw, Dawit; Flick, Maggie (19 July 2021). "Ethiopia's Tigray forces enter neighbouring Afar region, Afar says". Reuters.
^"Ethiopia's Amhara state rallies residents to fight Tigrayans". Al Jazeera. 25 July 2021.
^ abEndeshaw, Dawit (16 July 2021). "Three more regions reinforce Ethiopia army, Amhara against Tigray forces". Reuters.
^"Ethiopia: Fear Tigray conflict could trigger all-out war". DW. 20 July 2021.
^Endeshaw, Dawit (16 July 2021). "Three more regions reinforce Ethiopia army, Amhara against Tigray forces". Reuters.
^"Ethiopian PM confirms Eritrean troops entered Tigray during conflict". Reuters. 23 March 2021. Archived from the original on 23 March 2021.
^ ab"Eritrea confirms its troops are fighting in Ethiopia's Tigray". Al Jazeera. 17 April 2021.
^"UAE air bridge provides military support to Ethiopia gov't". Al Jazeera.
^ abcWalsh, Declan (20 December 2021). "Foreign Drones Tip the Balance in Ethiopia's Civil War". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331.
^Cite error: The named reference Toronto_Star_UAE was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^Pamuk, Humeyra; Fick, Maggie (5 November 2021). Toby Chopra (ed.). "Ethiopian anti-government alliance says plans to dismantle government by force or negotiations". Reuters.
^ abcAnna, Cara; Merchant, Norman (5 November 2021). "Tigray, other groups form alliance against Ethiopia's leader". The Washington Post. Associated Press.
^ abAnna, Cara (11 August 2021). "Ethiopia armed group says it has alliance with Tigray forces". AP News.
^"Leaked EU Diplomatic Cable: Delegation of the European Union to Ethiopia". Scoop. 25 August 2021.
^Kifle, Shuwa. "Zerbricht Äthiopien im Bürgerkrieg?". heise online (in German).
^"The Sidama National Liberation Front to Join the Coalition of Resistance by the Federalist Forces". Sidama National Liberation Front. 23 August 2021.
^Latif Dahir, Abdi; Jakes, Lara (5 November 2021). "Eight Groups Join Tigray Rebels Vowing to Oust Ethiopia's Leader". The New York Times.
^"An Afar-based armed group parts its ways with TPLF-led alliance". My Views on News. 1 February 2022.
^"Benishangul Gumuz regional govt, rebel group sign peace agreement". Addis Standard. 19 October 2022.
^"African Union: Agreement reached on permanent cessation of hostilities in Ethiopia". National Post. 2 November 2022.
^Winning, Alexander; Cocks, Tim (2 November 2022). "Combatants in Ethiopia's Tigray war agree to stop fighting". Reuters.
^Feleke, Bethlehem (3 November 2022). "Warring parties in Ethiopia agree on 'permanent cessation of hostilities'". CNN World.
^Mersie, Ayenat (12 November 2022). "Ethiopia combatants sign deal to start implementing truce". Reuters.
^"Ethiopia Truce Implementation to Start 'Immediately', Mediator Says". Asharq AL-awsat.
^"Ethiopia Rivals Agree on Humanitarian Access for Tigray". International Business Times. 12 November 2022.
^"Ethiopia's Tigray War: A Deadly, Dangerous Stalemate". Crisis Group. 2 April 2021.
^Marks, Simon; Walsh, Declan (22 January 2021). "On 'Rooftop of Africa', Ethiopia's Troops Hunt Fugitive Former Rulers". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331.
^"Wieder Luftangriffe der Armee in Tigray" (in German). Deutsche Welle. 9 November 2020. Archived from the original on 19 November 2020.
^ abcChothia, Farouk; Bekit, Teklemariam (19 October 2022). "Ethiopia civil war: Hyenas scavenge on corpses as Tigray forces retreat". BBC News. Archived from the original on 22 October 2022.
^"Ethiopia's Tigray conflict: Thousands reported killed in clashes". BBC News. 6 September 2021.
^"After battlefield reversals, what next for Ethiopia's Tigray war?". Al Jazeera. 10 July 2021.
^"Aviation Occurrence N 267277 Mig-23". Aviation Safety Network. 6 December 2020.
^Brhams, Jacob (30 November 2020). "Tigray Rebels Down Jet, Capture Pilot, One Day After Ethiopian Prime Minister Declares Victory". Overt Defense.
^"TDF downed A Mi-35 helicopter in central Tigray". Global Defense Corp. 22 April 2021.
^Ranter, Harro. "Accident Mil Mi-35, 20 Apr 2021". aviation-safety.net.
^"فيديو : قوات دفاع تجراى تسقط مروحية عسكرية اثيوبية وتفتح جبهة قتال جديدة فى محافظة "شرق كوجام"" [Video: Defense forces shoot down an Ethiopian military helicopter and open a new battle front in “East Kojam” governorate]. Farajat (in Arabic). 12 November 2021. Archived from the original on 6 April 2023.
^"Ethiopia: C-130 aircraft downed south of Tigray region". monde24.com (in Arabic). 6 June 2021.
^"Ethiopia: Thousands of Tigray rebels killed, military claims". BBC News. 4 September 2021.
^"HC a.i. statement on the killing of 23 aid workers in the Tigray region since the start of the crisis". Relief Web. 1 September 2020.
^ abc"UNICEF Ethiopia Humanitarian Situation Report No. 9 - September 2022". ReliefWeb. UNICEF. 29 October 2022. Archived from the original on 30 October 2022.
^"Ethiopia: UN says 20,000 refugees missing in Tigray". Al Jazeera. Archived from the original on 4 February 2021.
^ abParavicini, Giulia (20 August 2022). "Nearly half the people in Ethiopia's Tigray in 'severe' need of food aid, World Food Programme says". Reuters. Archived from the original on 11 October 2022.
^"War in Tigray may have killed 600,000 people, peace mediator says". Financial Times. Retrieved 16 June 2023.
^ abYork, Geoffrey (21 October 2022). "Surge of dehumanizing hate speech points to mounting risk of mass atrocities in northern Ethiopia, experts say". The Globe and Mail. Archived from the original on 22 October 2022. Independent scholars, based at Ghent University in Belgium, suggest that the death toll in Tigray is now between 385,000 and 600,000.
^ abNegash, Emnet. "Updated assessment of civilian starvation deaths during the Tigray war". Retrieved 4 July 2023. As our estimate of the civilian deaths in the Tigray war is regularly mentioned in the media, it seems important to share our evolving understanding and updated (lower) number of civilian deaths as a result of the Tigray war and blockade. We concluded that the IPC/FEWS categorization, on which our Tigray statistics are mainly based, overestimates hunger mortality. Along with developing information on the ground, this would point to a total number of civilian deaths ranging from 162,000 to 378,000.
^"Ethiopia's Tigray war: The short, medium and long story". BBC News. 29 June 2021. The conflict started on 4 November…
^"Inside a military base in Ethiopia's Tigray: soldiers decry betrayal by former comrades". Reuters. 17 December 2020. Archived from the original on 17 December 2020. The government says fighters loyal to the TPLF attacked federal military bases at multiple locations in Tigray early on Nov. 4 after jamming communications […] Lt. Gen. Bacha Debele said radio communications were cut […] at 10:00 p.m. on Nov. 3.
^Cite error: The named reference BBC_4Nov_2witnesses was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^"Ethiopia war: UN investigative Human rights commission debuts 6-day visit". Africanews. AFP. 26 July 2022. The [commission] is mandated […] to 'conduct a thorough and impartial investigation into allegations of violations and abuses of international human rights law […] in Ethiopia committed since 3 November 2020 by all parties to the conflict'
^"Ethiopia peace deal hailed as a 'new dawn'". Al Jazeera. 3 November 2022.
^ ab"Agreement for Lasting Peace through a Permanent Cessation of Hostilities between the Government of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia and the Tigray People's Liberation Front" (PDF). Addis Standard. 2 November 2022. Archived from the original (PDF) on 11 November 2022. This Agreement shall come into effect at 00:00 hours East Africa Time (EAT) on 3rd November 2022.
^Paravicini, Giulia; Endeshaw, Dawit (4 November 2020). "Ethiopia sends army into Tigray region, heavy fighting reported". Reuters. Archived from the original on 19 November 2020.
^"Exclusive: U.S. thinks Eritrea has joined Ethiopian war, diplomats say". Reuters. 8 December 2020. Archived from the original on 9 December 2020.
^Cite error: The named reference :12 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^"The conflict in Ethiopia". Reuters. Archived from the original on 19 December 2020.
^"Concern of Outright War in Ethiopia Grows as PM Presses Military Offensive". Voice of America. Reuters. 9 November 2020.
^"Ethiopia says military operation in Tigray region is over, hunt for Tigray leaders begins". Reuters. 28 November 2020. Archived from the original on 12 January 2021.
^"Ethiopia's Tigray crisis: Army 'takes regional capital of Mekelle'". BBC News. 28 November 2020. Archived from the original on 28 November 2020. Mr Abiy said the army was in full control and that this "marks the completion of the [military's] last phase".
^"Ethiopia: 'We are in our homeland, the invaders are attacking us,' says Tigray's Gebremichael". France 24. 15 December 2020. Archived from the original on 16 December 2020. Debretsion Gebremichael told France 24 that [Tigray] would continue fighting as long as federal 'invaders' are on Tigrayan soil. […] [He] believes neighbouring Eritrea is playing a key role in the conflict. 'They already have 16 divisions in Tigray. They are fighting on the side of the federal army... They have a united front against us. Wherever you go, they are there.'
^"In Ethiopia, Abiy Ahmed's forces have won the battle but not the war". The Economist. 1 December 2020. ISSN 0013-0613. Archived from the original on 2 December 2020.
^"Ethiopia's government announce ceasefire as Tigrayan troops retake region's capital". CNN. 28 June 2021.
^David Evans; Angus MacSwan, eds. (1 November 2021). "Tigrayan and Oromo forces say they have seized towns on Ethiopian highway". Reuters. Archived from the original on 5 November 2021.
^Wintour, Patrick (2 November 2021). "Ethiopia declares state of emergency as Tigrayan rebels gain ground". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 7 November 2021.
^Parivicini, Giulia; Flick, Maggie (11 August 2021). Giles Elgood; Mark Heinrich (eds.). "Ethiopia's Tigray forces seek new military alliance". Reuters. Archived from the original on 1 October 2021.
^"Ethiopia declares unilateral truce to allow aid into Tigray". Al Jazeera. 24 March 2022.
^"Fighting in northern Ethiopia shatters months-long truce". The Guardian. Agence France-Presse. 24 August 2022. Archived from the original on 11 October 2022.
^Winning, Alexander; Cocks, Tim (2 November 2022). "Parties in Ethiopia conflict agree to cease hostilities". Reuters.
^Cite error: The named reference :irob was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^"US says all sides committed war crimes in Ethiopia conflict". Al Jazeera. 20 March 2023.
^Nebehay, Stephanie; Endeshaw, Dawit (3 November 2021). "Joint UN, Ethiopia rights team: all sides committed abuses in Tigray". Reuters.
^Cite error: The named reference :14 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^Dahir, Abdi Latif; Hicks, Tyler (9 December 2020). "Fleeing Ethiopians Tell of Ethnic Massacres in Tigray War". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on 10 December 2020.
^ ab"Rapid Investigation into Grave Human Rights Violation Maikadra - Preliminary Findings". Ethiopian Human Rights Commission. 24 November 2020.
^"The massacre in Axum". Amnesty International. 26 February 2021. Archived (PDF) from the original on 26 February 2021.
^ abKassa, Lucy; Bulos, Nabih (23 March 2021). "In an out-of-sight war, a massacre comes to light". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on 23 March 2022.
^"Tigray forces killed 120 civilians in village in Amhara - Ethiopia officials". Reuters. 9 September 2021.
^"Ethiopia: Tigrayan forces murder, rape and pillage in attacks on civilians in Amhara towns". Amnesty International. 16 February 2022.
^"'Then the killing started': Witnesses accuse Tigray fighters". Associated Press. 26 September 2021. Archived from the original on 26 September 2021.
^"Ethiopia: Tigray Forces Summarily Execute Civilians". Human Rights Watch. 9 December 2021. Archived from the original on 17 February 2022.
^"Situation Report EEPA HORN No. 51 – 10 January 2021" (PDF). Europe External Programme with Africa. 10 January 2021. Archived (PDF) from the original on 11 January 2021.
^Akinwotu, Emmanuel (2 December 2020). "'I saw people dying on the road': Tigray's traumatised war refugees". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 2 December 2020.
^Schipani, Andres (4 December 2020). "Refugees flee Ethiopia's brutal war with tales of atrocities on both sides". Financial Times. Archived from the original on 4 December 2020.
^Mas, Liselotte (12 March 2021). "Ethiopia: video of Tigray massacre lifts lid on 'war without photos'". France 24 (The Observers). Archived from the original on 11 August 2022.
^"'You can't even cry loudly': Counting Ethiopia's war dead". AP NEWS. 15 November 2021.
^"Rape is being used as weapon of war in Ethiopia, say witnesses". The Guardian. 14 May 2021.
^Akinwotu, Emmanuel (11 August 2021). "'Like I wasn't a person': Ethiopian forces accused of systematic rape in Tigray". The Guardian.
^"Ethiopia: Tigray on brink of humanitarian disaster, UN says". The Guardian. 14 January 2022.
^"Ethiopia: Status of western Tigray to be settled 'by law'". CityNews. AP. 15 November 2022.
Cite error: There are <ref group=lower-alpha> tags or {{efn}} templates on this page, but the references will not show without a {{reflist|group=lower-alpha}} template or {{notelist}} template (see the help page).
The TigrayWar was an armed conflict that lasted from 3 November 2020 to 3 November 2022. The war was primarily fought in the Tigray Region of Ethiopia...
All sides of the TigrayWar have been repeatedly accused of committing war crimes since it began in November 2020. In particular, the Ethiopian federal...
Casualties of the TigrayWar refers to the civilian and military deaths and injuries in the TigrayWar that started in November 2020, in which rape and...
The Tigray Defense Forces (Tigrinya: ሓይልታት ምክልኻል ትግራይ; TDF: ሓምት), colloquially called the Tigray Army[by whom?] (ሰራዊት ትግራይ) is a paramilitary group located...
timeline of the TigrayWar is part of a chronology of the military engagements of the TigrayWar, a civil war that began in the Tigray Region of Ethiopia...
characters. The Tigray Region, officially the Tigray National Regional State, is the northernmost regional state in Ethiopia. The Tigray Region is the homeland...
during the TigrayWar, fighting alongside the Ethiopian National Defense Force against the TPLF-led Tigray Defense Forces. Amid the TigrayWar in early...
Look up tigray in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. Tigray may refer to: Tigray Region, a region of Ethiopia Tigray Province, a province of Ethiopia until...
Since the start of TigrayWar in November 2020, the Eritrean government has been heavily involved in the war against the Tigray People's Liberation Front...
in the TigrayWar included five mass extrajudicial killings that took place in Hawzen in the Tigray Region of Ethiopia during the TigrayWar in November...
in Tigray is now between 385,000 and 600,000. Negash, Emnet (24 May 2023). "Updated assessment of civilian starvation deaths during the Tigraywar". Retrieved...
The events of the TigrayWar have sparked numerous reactions and protests worldwide. In the first week of November 2020, the Ogaden National Liberation...
(21 Hidar on the Ethiopian calendar). In mid-December 2020 during the TigrayWar, according to Europe External Programme with Africa (EEPA), 750 people...
National Congress of Great Tigray (Tigrinya: ብሄራዊ ባይቶ ዓባይ ትግራይ) or Baytona (Tigrinya: ባይቶና) is a political party in the Tigray Region of Ethiopia. In September...
dissolved and replaced with the Tigray People's Liberation Front-led Transitional Government of Ethiopia. The Ethiopian Civil War left at least 1.4 million...
by the Semitic Abyssinians (Habesha) composed mainly of the Amhara and Tigray, the Cushitic Agaw. In the Eastern escarpment of the Ethiopian highlands...
early November 2020 a conflict broke out in the Tigray Region of Ethiopia between forces loyal to the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF) and the ENDF...
bilateral summit the following month ended the border conflict. During the TigrayWar, attacks were carried out on Badme by the joint Ethiopian and Eritrean...
mountains; and Mai Dima near Berakit Mountain for Kunama detainees. In the TigrayWar, the EDF was attributed the main responsibility for the extrajudicial...
The Mai Kadra massacre was a massacre carried out during the TigrayWar. Ethnic cleansing and mass murders were carried out on 9–10 November 2020 in the...