Ethiopian Government, Rebels Trade Blame As Clashes Erupt In Tigray

Ethiopia’s government and rebels in the Tigray region traded blame as fighting erupted on Wednesday.

A government statement said Tigray rebels attacked Ethiopian forces near Kobo district and have effectively broken the ceasefire.

It added that the attacks began around dawn on the Eastern Front; from Bisober, Zobel and Tekulshe's direction.

However, Getachew Reda, spokesperson for the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF), said the Ethiopian forces launched a large-scale offensive on rebel positions.

"The regime’s well-orchestrated campaign and the international community has now been revealed for the drama that it has always been."

There was a lull in the war since March after Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s government declared a unilateral truce after nearly two years of fighting.

Thousands, mostly civilians, have been killed and millions displaced since the armed conflict began in November 2020, with the U.N. blaming both sides for the deaths.

The U.N. has warned that Tigray stands on the edge of a humanitarian disaster, with more than 40% of the region’s estimated 6 million people in need of emergency assistance.