UN expresses deep concern as clashes escalate in Ethiopia’s Amhara, Tigray regions

NEW YORK, 26 SEPTEMBER 2026 —

UN warns Ethiopia’s northern conflict risks full-scale war as drone strikes and humanitarian blockades deepen crisis

UN Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric warned that the use of drones and repeated harm to civilians risked further destabilizing a fragile peace, while Secretary-General António Guterres intensified diplomatic efforts to prevent a relapse into large-scale violence.

The escalation shows the fragility of the November 2022 peace accord brokered by the African Union (AU), which had barely begun to address the conflict’s root causes—political tensions between Ethiopia’s federal government and the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF), the former ruling party of the region.

The UN had previously flagged slow implementation of the deal as a major risk, and this week’s violence has reignited fears that Ethiopia could revert to the brutal warfare that left thousands dead, displaced millions, and triggered famine-like conditions before a ceasefire was declared in 2022.

Dujarric briefed reporters in New York that Guterres was closely monitoring developments and engaging with Ethiopian and regional leaders to de-escalate tensions, while the Secretary-General’s Special Envoy for the Horn of Africa, Guang Cong, coordinated with the AU and the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) to revive dialogue under the 2022 framework.

The UN also reiterated its demand that all parties "exercise maximum restraint" and resolve differences through negotiations, warning that the current trajectory could mirror the 2020 outbreak, when federal forces—backed by Eritrean troops—clashed with TPLF militia, spreading into neighboring Amhara and Afar regions.

Humanitarian agencies are already facing severe disruptions as the conflict intensifies. The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reported that internet and mobile services have been largely cut off in Tigray, leaving populations reliant on digital transactions amid cash shortages and ATM inaccessibility.

The escalation threatens to worsen an already dire situation, with below-average rainfall linked to the El Niño weather pattern exacerbating food insecurity in a region still recovering from years of conflict. OCHA noted that humanitarian operations—including food distributions and medical aid—have been paused or diverted due to road closures, drone strikes, and armed group seizures of aid vehicles.

A direct casualty of the violence was a drone strike on Sunday in northwestern Tigray that hit a truck carrying food assistance for internally displaced persons (IDPs), compounding the challenges of delivering aid. Meanwhile, reported airstrikes hit five schools in Tigray on September 22, and a mortar attack two days later killed civilians in Kobo, Amhara, according to UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk.

Türk condemned the escalation as "deeply alarming," urging all parties to avoid a return to full-scale war and ensure safe, unhindered access for humanitarian workers.

The UN’s warnings come as Ethiopia’s northern regions remain on edge, with Amhara and Afar also experiencing heightened insecurity. While aid agencies continue assessments in areas where security permits, operations in Amhara face "significant constraints," including armed group interference. The UN stressed that any further obstruction of humanitarian access—whether through violence, blockades, or seizures—would compound suffering in a region already grappling with displacement, economic collapse, and climate-induced shortages.

With the AU and IGAD pushing for dialogue, the immediate focus remains on preventing a full-blown resumption of hostilities. The UN’s repeated calls for restraint reflect the stakes: a return to war would not only reverse hard-won peace gains but also plunge Ethiopia deeper into humanitarian and economic crisis, with ripple effects across the Horn of Africa.

The next critical test will be whether the parties can heed the UN’s warnings and return to negotiations before the situation spirals further beyond control.