MEKELE — Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) leader Debretsion Gebremichael has spoken publicly about the renewed fighting in Ethiopia’s Tigray region, describing the conflict as part of a wider regional confrontation involving the United Arab Emirates and other countries.
Gebremichael said the fighting should be viewed in the context of broader regional competition, including what he described as strategic interests surrounding the Red Sea.
In comments on the ongoing conflict, the TPLF leader warned forces that have entered Tigray, saying his forces would not engage in a conventional, stationary battle.
“Our war will not be one in which we sit in one place and fight. It will be a mobile war. The forces that entered Tigray will not find a way out except through the route they came in. We will turn this place into their graves,” he said.
Gebremichael did not provide detailed evidence in the statement to support his claims about the involvement of the UAE or other countries. The allegations come amid heightened tensions and renewed fighting in and around Tigray.
The conflict also raises concerns about the potential for regional actors to become more directly involved in Ethiopia’s internal security situation. Any wider involvement could have implications for stability across the Horn of Africa and the Red Sea region.
The latest developments come after the 2022 Pretoria peace agreement, which ended the major phase of the Tigray war. Renewed hostilities have raised concerns about the durability of the peace process and the possibility of further escalation.
The situation on the ground remains fluid, with reports of military movements and heightened tensions. Independent confirmation of the latest battlefield claims and the alleged involvement of foreign actors was not immediately available.
