Ethiopia’s Abiy Warns of Military Response as Tigray Fighting Raises War Fears

Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed has said government forces are prepared to bring a rebel offensive under control, while calling on those involved in the fighting to choose peace and support national reconciliation.

His remarks came after almost two weeks of internal conflict in Ethiopia, with renewed violence raising concerns about a possible return to the country’s 2020–2022 civil war and the risk of a wider regional conflict.

Warning of military readiness

Fighting between the Tigray People’s Liberation Front and federal forces reportedly began on September 23. The clashes have placed renewed attention on the relationship between Tigray forces and Ethiopia’s federal authorities.

Abiy said Ethiopia’s defence capacity would be modern and innovative, with the armed forces remaining prepared for combat. He also said the army would take both pre-emptive and reactive action.

“In our region, we will have air superiority,” Abiy said. “Our defence will be modern, innovative and at all times ready and alert for combat.”

He added that government forces were ready to respond to the rebel offensive, presenting the military’s preparedness alongside an appeal for an end to the violence.

Appeal for peace

Addressing those continuing to fight, Abiy urged them to abandon armed confrontation and join efforts focused on nation-building and reconciliation.

“All those people fighting in the bushes: I kindly ask you to choose the path of peace,” he said. He also called on them to participate in the national reconciliation process and to support political alternatives through peaceful demonstrations of competing ideas.

His appeal referred to opposition parties and the need to learn from Ethiopia’s past revolutionary struggles, while warning against treason.

Reports of displacement camp strike

A drone strike in the Tigray region reportedly killed several people at a displacement camp on Monday. The reported death toll has not been specified, and the account of the strike has not been independently confirmed in the available information.

The reported attack came as the conflict continued to generate concern beyond the immediate fighting. The violence has been described as a threat to wider regional stability and has revived fears that Ethiopia could again face the kind of civil war experienced between 2020 and 2022.

Abiy’s comments combined a warning that the government was prepared to use military force with a call for fighters to enter a peaceful political and reconciliation process. The fighting parties and the wider situation remain the focus of concern as Ethiopia faces the possibility of further escalation.