ADDIS ABABA: Tigray rebels said on Thursday they were in a state of “full-blown war” with the Ethiopian government, with reports of hundreds killed and heavy artillery attacks in neighbouring states.

Tensions have been rising for months between the federal government and the authorities in the northern Tigray state, who fought a devastating civil war in 2020-2022 that killed more than 600,000 people.

The two sides accuse each other of triggering a return to open conflict with attacks this week, and there are fears the fighting could draw neighbouring Eritrea into a wider conflict.

The Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) launched attacks into the neighbouring states of Afar and Amhara on Wednesday.

A humanitarian source in Afar said there were heavy artillery attacks by the rebels on Thursday as they attempted to take control of the town of Yallo, near the Tigrayan border.

“We are in the situation of full-blown war now,” TPLF vice president Amanuel Assefa said, confirming that Tigrayan forces were fighting alongside local armed groups in Afar and Amhara.

The Ethiopian army said it had killed 272 TPLF soldiers as they launched attacks in parts of North Wollo.

Published in Dawn, September 25th, 2026