Qatar and UAE back Ethiopian government as fighting spreads beyond Tigray
Fighting has displaced an estimated 150,000 people, drawing responses from Qatar and the UAE as Ethiopia and its neighbours trade accusations.
Qatar has condemned what it called the military escalation against Ethiopia’s federal forces, while the United Arab Emirates has voiced support for the Ethiopian government amid renewed fighting in the country’s north.
Qatar’s Foreign Ministry said the fighting threatened Ethiopia’s unity and sovereignty and the stability of the wider Horn of Africa.
It called for an immediate end to the fighting, protection for civilians and respect for the Pretoria Peace Agreement between Tigray and Ethiopia.
The Qatari statement did not name the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) or the new alliance of armed groups fighting the federal government. Qatar said its “full support” was for efforts to reduce tensions and resolve disputes through dialogue.
The UAE condemned what it described as attacks by the TPLF and its armed allies on federal forces, as well as the seizure of airports in Tigray and the spread of fighting into neighbouring Afar and Amhara.
UAE Minister of State Sheikh Shakhboot bin Nahyan Al Nahyan said his country stood in “full solidarity with the government and people” of Ethiopia. He also rejected attempts to change the country’s constitutional order through force.
The statements followed the most serious fighting in northern Ethiopia since the agreement ended the 2020-2022 war, in which hundreds of thousands of people were killed.
Tigrayan forces seized the airports in Mekelle, Axum and Shire last week, prompting Ethiopian Airlines to suspend flights to the region.
The TPLF says it is fighting defensively after federal forces attacked Tigray using drones, artillery and ground troops. The federal government accuses the group of launching a planned offensive.
Tigrayan forces captured Erebti in Afar over the weekend. On Monday, pro-government forces said they had taken control of Alamata, an important supply town around 120 kilometres south of Tigray’s capital, Mekelle.
A drone also struck the headquarters of Tigrai TV in Mekelle on Sunday. Journalists said they had left the building after hearing an earlier explosion. No casualties were reported, and the federal government did not comment on the strike.
Médecins Sans Frontières said the number of wounded people treated at hospitals in Korem and Alamata rose to more than 420 between 22-25 September. More than 300 wounded people arrived at Suhul Hospital last week.
The Afar Pastoralist Development Association estimates that around 150,000 people have been displaced by the fighting.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres said he was “gravely concerned” by the seizure of the three airports and the spread of hostilities beyond Tigray.
He urged all sides to stop the fighting, protect civilians, allow aid groups to reach those in need and return to talks under the peace agreement.
Ethiopia’s army chief, Field Marshal Birhanu Jula, has accused Eritrea, Sudan and Egypt of supporting armed groups fighting the government. He did not provide evidence for the accusations.
Sudan’s army rejected the allegation and accused Ethiopia of allowing its territory to be used to support Sudan’s paramilitary Rapid Support Forces.
Egypt’s Foreign Ministry did not name Ethiopia directly but dismissed suggestions that Cairo interfered in other countries as baseless. Spokesperson Nader Zaki said Egypt respected the sovereignty and territorial integrity of other states.
Eritrea has also denied supporting Ethiopian armed groups and accused Addis Ababa of attempting to shift responsibility for the fighting.
The TPLF joined six other armed groups this month in an alliance that says it wants to remove Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s government and establish a transitional administration.
