Ethiopia accuses Sudan, Egypt of backing Tigray rebels as fighting rages

What the report says

Ethiopia’s army chief has accused Sudan and Egypt of supporting armed groups fighting federal forces in the north, as clashes with the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) intensify. According to Al Jazeera, Field Marshal Birhanu Jula said the fighters were serving outside interests and could not make gains without help from neighboring states and other external powers. The accusations come as heavy fighting resumes between the TPLF and Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s government, raising concern about a return to the devastating 2020-2022 war.

Sudan’s military rejected the claims and called them baseless. It also countered that the Rapid Support Forces, which it has been fighting since 2023, were receiving support from inside Ethiopia, including training, supplies and drone-related activity. Al Jazeera reported no independent confirmation of those counterclaims. The report also said the United Nations chief’s spokesman expressed concern about drone use and reports of civilian harm, while casualty totals were not confirmed.

The renewed fighting has spread across northern Ethiopia, with reports of attacks in Tigray and nearby Afar and Amhara regions. Al Jazeera said Tigrai TV’s headquarters in Mekelle was hit by a drone on Sunday, and communications disruptions have made reporting difficult. The conflict matters because it threatens regional stability, supply routes and already fragile humanitarian conditions in an area that saw massive loss of life in the previous war.