Telecommunications and internet connections have suffered severe disruptions across Ethiopia's northern Tigray region following a fresh outbreak of hostilities between regional factions and the federal military.
State-run telecommunication provider Ethio Telecom has experienced a total suspension of its network infrastructure across the area, though services operated by the private firm Safaricom have reportedly continued to function. Independent digital network monitors confirmed the sub-national blackout via traffic data, while humanitarian workers on the ground in the regional capital of Mekelle verified that connectivity had failed.
Reports indicate that the disruption may have been initiated by the Tigray People's Liberation Front, the faction governing the region, potentially as a tactical measure against federal drone operations. The communications blackout has immediately impacted daily life, particularly regarding financial transactions. With residents already facing a severe shortage of physical currency and non-functioning automated teller machines for months, reliance on mobile banking applications has been profound.
The renewed violence erupted midweek following days of escalating tensions, triggering widespread concern that the nation could slide back into a devastating nationwide conflict. Clashes between regional combatants and national troops have reportedly spread beyond Tigray's borders into neighboring Afar and Amhara territories, with witnesses describing intense overnight fighting and aerial strikes near border towns. In response to the security deterioration, Ethiopian Airlines grounded all commercial flights into the region, and residents have reportedly engaged in panic buying of essential goods.
This latest instability threatens to undo fragile recoveries achieved since the conclusion of a brutal two-year civil war that ended in late 2022. That historic conflict isolated the region entirely from the global community, severely restricting essential supplies of food, medical care, and currency, and leading to catastrophic humanitarian conditions.
Political tensions have mounted in recent days following announcements that regional authorities had forged a coalition with multiple armed factions aiming to challenge the federal administration. Tensions escalated further when regional fighters reportedly took control of several local airports from national law enforcement personnel.
Federal authorities have not yet issued a comprehensive official statement regarding the telecommunications outage or the ongoing military engagements. Humanitarian organizations and international observers are closely monitoring the situation, fearful that a resumption of full-scale warfare will inflict further suffering on a civilian population that has barely begun to recover from the previous crisis.
Reporting based on coverage first published by BBC News. Read the original report at BBC News.
