A big fight happened in a place called Tigray. 
A big fight happened in a place called Tigray. 


A war took place in the Tigray region of Ethiopia. 


The Tigray war was a major conflict in Ethiopia. 
The conflict grew from long political disagreements. For many years, the TPLF was a very strong part of the government. However, leadership in Ethiopia changed in 2018. Abiy Ahmed became the new Prime Minister of Ethiopia. He started a new group called the Prosperity Party. The TPLF did not want to join this new party. Tensions rose when the government delayed national elections due to COVID-19. 
Fighting began in early November 2020. TPLF forces attacked several military bases in the north. The Ethiopian National Defense Force responded with a large attack.
The war caused terrible suffering for many people. All sides involved were accused of committing war crimes. Between 100,000 and 600,000 people were killed during the conflict. 

In late 2022, leaders worked to find peace. A truce was declared in March 2022 to send food to people. However, fighting started again later that year. Finally, a deal to stop the fighting was reached on November 2, 2022. 
The Tigray war was an intense armed conflict in Ethiopia. 
The conflict grew from long-standing political disagreements. For 27 years, Ethiopia was led by the Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF). The TPLF was the most influential member of this coalition. Meles Zenawi led the TPLF and served as Prime Minister until 2012. In 2018, leadership changed when Abiy Ahmed became Prime Minister. Abiy formed a new group called the Prosperity Party. The TPLF refused to join this new party. This created a deep divide between the federal government and the Tigray leadership.
Tensions increased throughout 2020 due to several specific events. The National Election Board of Ethiopia delayed national elections because of COVID-19. This delay extended the terms of federal leaders beyond their constitutional mandates. The TPLF rejected these extensions as unconstitutional. In September 2020, the TPLF held its own regional election in Tigray. The federal government declared this election illegal. In response, the government cut federal funding to the Tigray Region. The TPLF viewed this funding cut as a declaration of war. 
Fighting officially began on November 3, 2020. TPLF forces attacked the Ethiopian National Defense Force (ENDF) Northern Command headquarters. They also attacked other military bases in the Tigray Region. The ENDF launched a counterattack from the south. At the same time, the Eritrean Defence Forces (EDF) attacked from the north. Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed called this a "law enforcement operation."
The war moved through several distinct stages of fighting. In June 2021, the Tigray Defense Forces (TDF) retook Mekelle. They then advanced into the Amhara and Afar regions. By November 2021, the TDF and the Oromo Liberation Army (OLA) formed a coalition. They took control of several towns on the highway toward Addis Ababa. The TPLF stated they intended to march on the capital city. The federal government then launched a successful counter-offensive. This led to a temporary humanitarian truce in March 2022.
The human cost of the war was extremely high. All sides, including the ENDF, EDF, and TDF, were accused of committing war crimes. Between 100,000 and 600,000 people were killed during the conflict. 

The war ended with a formal agreement to stop the violence. After peace talks broke down in August 2022, fighting re-escalated. Hundreds of thousands of troops were organized by all sides. Eventually, Ethiopia and the TPLF agreed to a cessation of hostilities. This agreement went into effect on November 2, 2022. 
🖼️ Images & Media (25)
+ 13 more
More to explore
✨ What else?
Related topics you might enjoy
🔬 Go deeper
More advanced topics to explore
🪜 Step back
Simpler topics to build understanding
What is Nepedia?
A free, ad-free encyclopedia for children. Every article is written at five reading levels, so the same page works for a five-year-old and a fifteen-year-old — use the level switcher above to see this one change. No account needed to read.