Ethiopia’s Civil War Restarts: What Next? (Level 1)

Ethiopia is facing a new war. For two years, there have been tensions between the federal government and regional militias. Earlier this week, the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF) announced a military alliance with six other regional militias. They said they were starting a defensive war against the federal government. The TPLF used to be powerful in Ethiopia. From the 1990s to 2018, they led the country. But in 2018, Abiy Ahmed became prime minister. He took power from regional governments, including Tigray. This caused the Tigray War from 2020 to 2022. That war killed about 378,000 people. Now many regional groups see Abiy as a bad leader. He has put journalists and opposition leaders in prison. Some groups that fought the TPLF before now support them. The TPLF and its allies have already captured towns and airports. The federal government is still stronger, but the fighting could cause a huge humanitarian disaster.