Internet restricted in Ethiopia's Tigray as fighting spreads to Afar and Amhara

Internet and call services have been disrupted in Ethiopia's northern Tigray region after fighting intensified this week between regional forces and the national army. NetBlocks said it detected a sub-national internet shutdown in northern Ethiopia that corresponded to reports of a telecoms blackout in Tigray. Local reporting said state-owned Ethio Telecom services were cut, while the smaller private operator Safaricom remained operational.

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The disruption comes as clashes between Tigrayan forces and their allies and Ethiopia's federal troops spread beyond Tigray into Afar and Amhara. Reports from the region said the fighting began on Wednesday and was accompanied by panic buying, while a humanitarian worker in Mekelle said telecommunications had been knocked out overnight. The BBC said it had contacted Ethiopia's authorities for comment, and the scale of the disruption has made independent verification difficult.

The blackout fears are significant because Tigray was cut off from the outside world during the 2020-2022 civil war, which ended in 2022 and left deep humanitarian and economic scars. During that conflict, limited access to cash, food and medicine pushed hundreds of thousands into famine-like conditions, and the region was widely isolated from communications and supply routes. The current disruption has renewed concern that similar restrictions could return if the fighting widens further or if access routes are blocked again.

The latest violence is also being viewed through the lens of Ethiopia's wider security and political tensions. Reporting said seven armed groups have formed an alliance, calling itself the Ethiopian Peoples' Forces Alliance for Survival, and that it has committed to removing Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed's government. The Tigray Army said the federal government had launched a full-scale offensive involving infantry, mechanised units and drones, while the federal government has accused Eritrea of backing the TPLF and its allies, which Eritrea denies.

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These claims underline how the conflict now carries regional implications beyond the immediate fighting. The reported spread into Afar and Amhara raises the risk of wider disruption to transport, communications and humanitarian access. One report said alliance forces had seized three airports and launched attacks against federal troops in both regions.

Another said the offensive may be aimed at disrupting supply lines, including routes linked to Djibouti, which handles most of Ethiopia's international trade cargo. If confirmed, that would make the fighting not only a military challenge but also a threat to the country's economic lifeline. What remains unclear is the full extent of the fighting, the number of casualties and whether the telecoms disruption is part of a broader shutdown.

It is also not yet clear how far forces have advanced in Afar and Amhara, or whether federal troops can contain the offensive. The situation is likely to be watched closely for further signs of escalation, especially around key transport routes, airports and communications infrastructure.

Ethiopian forces have battled overnight to repel an assault by Tigray rebels in the Afar region, amid reports of a communications blackout in northern Ethiopia. The fighting is the latest sign that the country's long-running conflict has flared again, with rebels also reported to have seized local airports and launched attacks into neighbouring Afar and Amhara. A humanitarian source in Afar said there was heavy fighting around the town of Abala, near the border with Tigray.

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The source said federal forces pushed the rebels back from entering Abala and that a drone was used by the army. Online monitor Netblocks said there was an internet disruption in northern Ethiopia corresponding to reports of a telecoms blackout in Tigray. AFP was unable to contact sources in the region by phone, underlining the scale of the disruption and the difficulty of independently verifying events on the ground.

Clashes were also reported in North Wollo Zone of Amhara, including around Lalibela, a UNESCO World Heritage site known for its rock-hewn churches. The reported spread of fighting across Afar and Amhara suggests the offensive is not confined to Tigray itself. It also raises the risk of wider disruption to transport, communications and humanitarian access in a region that has already experienced severe wartime strain.

The renewed violence carries particular significance because it echoes the 2020-2022 civil war, which killed an estimated 600,000 people and was marked by telecoms blackouts and supply blockades. Local fears are now focused on whether similar restrictions could return, especially if access routes are cut again. Analysts say the Tigray People's Liberation Front appears to be using a strategy similar to the last war, pushing south through Amhara towards Addis Ababa while also seeking to disrupt supply lines from Djibouti.

According to the reporting, the TPLF has formed an alliance with six other armed groups in an effort to overthrow Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed's government. The offensive in Afar is seen as potentially aimed at cutting off supplies from Djibouti, which handles almost all of Ethiopia's international trade cargo, including fuel. That makes the fighting not only a military challenge but also a possible threat to the country's economic lifeline and to the movement of essential goods.

What remains unclear is the full extent of the fighting, the number of casualties, and whether the reported internet disruption is part of a broader telecoms shutdown. It is also not yet clear how far the rebels have advanced in Amhara and Afar, or whether federal forces can contain the offensive. The situation is likely to be watched closely for signs of further escalation, especially around key transport routes and towns near the Tigray border.

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