Ethiopia

Background reviewed 2026-10-23 · Background as of 2026-10

Background

War in Ethiopia’s northern Tigray region began in November 2020 between the federal government and the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF), drawing in Eritrean forces and Amhara regional forces. It ended with the Pretoria agreement of 2 November 2022.

Since August 2023 the federal army has fought the Fano militia in the Amhara region, and an insurgency continues in parts of Oromia. In 2025–2026 tensions rose again in and around Tigray, with renewed clashes and growing friction between Ethiopia and Eritrea.

History

Ethiopia is one of Africa’s oldest states and was never colonised, apart from an Italian occupation from 1936 to 1941. The military Derg regime ruled from 1974 until 1991, when it was overthrown by a coalition of armed movements led by the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF), which then dominated national politics for nearly three decades under an ethnic federal system.

Eritrea became independent from Ethiopia in 1993, and the two countries fought a border war from 1998 to 2000. Abiy Ahmed became prime minister in 2018 and made peace with Eritrea, for which he received the Nobel Peace Prize in 2019. Tensions with the TPLF escalated into the war in Tigray from 2020 to 2022, and armed conflict has since continued in the Amhara and Oromia regions.

Main parties

Ethiopian National Defense Force (ENDF) — The federal army.
Fano — Amhara nationalist militias fighting the federal government since 2023.
Oromo Liberation Army (OLA) — Armed group active in Oromia.
Tigrayan forces — Forces linked to the TPLF and the Tigray Interim Regional Administration.

Key dates

2018-04 — Abiy Ahmed becomes prime minister.
2018-07 — Ethiopia and Eritrea formally end their state of war.
2020-11-04 — War begins in Tigray.
2022-11-02 — The Pretoria cessation of hostilities agreement is signed.
2023-08-04 — A state of emergency is declared in Amhara amid fighting with Fano.
2026 — Renewed clashes are reported in Tigray amid rising tension with Eritrea.

Humanitarian situation

Millions of people were displaced by the Tigray war, and many have not returned home. Fighting in Amhara and Oromia, drought and reduced aid funding continue to drive humanitarian needs, and access for aid workers and journalists is often restricted.

How to read reports about Ethiopia

Internet shutdowns in conflict areas mean reports can be delayed and hard to verify.

Recent events

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