Rights Body Urges Immediate Cessation of Hostilities Amid Escalating Border Clashes in Northern Ethiopia
By Staff Writer
(Nairobi, Kenya) — The Ethiopian Human Rights Commission (EHRC) has called for an immediate cessation of hostilities following the eruption of armed clashes along the border areas of the Tigray, Amhara, and Afar regions, warning that the renewed fighting severely jeopardizes human rights and essential civilian activities.
In a formal statement released this afternoon, the rights body confirmed it is actively tracking the human rights impact of military engagements across border zones. The commission noted that it had previously warned against forced youth conscription in the Tigray Region, severe restrictions on freedom of expression, and escalating troop deployments that culminated in current border engagements.
The commission highlighted that affected communities were previously devastated by war, cautioning that renewed combat creates compounding harm to vulnerable populations and infrastructure.
Clashes have broken out between federal security forces and Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) fighters along the regional borders of Afar and Amhara, specifically concentrating in the Wag Hemra Zone and Lasta Woreda of the North Wollo Zone. The commission reported that active fighting severely restricts citizens’ fundamental rights to life, physical integrity, and movement across northern transport corridors.
Addressing major infrastructural disruptions, the human rights body noted that fighters seized civilian airports in Mekelle, Shire, and Aksum, triggering a complete suspension of commercial flights and grounding road transport. The severe mobility restrictions have generated immediate commodity shortages and sharp price spikes for essential goods.
EHRC Chief Commissioner Berhanu Adello described the deteriorating security environment as deeply concerning, urging all belligerents—particularly signatories to the Pretoria Peace Agreement—to uphold their commitments. The rights chief appealed to all forces to protect civilians and critical infrastructure while calling on international diplomatic partners to pressure all parties back toward peaceful dialogue.
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