Renewed fighting between Ethiopia's federal government and the Tigray People's Liberation Front erupted on September 23, shattering a ceasefire agreed in November 2022. Reports indicate that a new alliance of armed groups in Tigray has begun forcibly recruiting men and boys, including children as young as 15, to bolster its ranks.
The Guardian reports that civilians are fleeing as recruitment sweeps occur on streets across the region. The resumed conflict threatens to trigger a fresh humanitarian crisis in Tigray, Ethiopia's northern region.
The September 23 fighting marked the collapse of the Pretoria peace agreement, which had paused hostilities between the federal authorities and the TPLF, the regional governing party. Details on the composition of the new armed alliance or the scale of reported recruitment remain limited in available reporting.