The Ethiopia Conflict
A neutral, source-attributed briefing on Ethiopia's overlapping conflicts — insurgencies in Amhara and Oromia and fragile post-Tigray tensions.
Open the live conflict map → Common questionsLast updated: 2026-08-06 · Evergreen briefing — the live map and the headlines below carry the latest developments.
Key locations: Ethiopia Conflict
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Addis Ababacity9.0250, 38.7469
Ethiopia's capital and seat of the federal government, increasingly within reach of Oromo Liberation Army activity spreading from Oromia region.
Control: Federal government of Ethiopia (Ethiopian National Defense Force) — Council on Foreign Relations, Global Conflict Tracker, as of 2026-08-03
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Mekellecity13.4967, 39.4697
Capital of Tigray region, administered by a federally appointed Interim Administration after the 2022 peace deal until renewed clashes in 2026.
Control: Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF) / Tigray Defense Forces, which took effective control from the Interim Administration after clashes in 2026 — Council on Foreign Relations, Global Conflict Tracker, as of 2026-08-03
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Bahir Darcity11.5936, 37.3908
Capital of Amhara region on Lake Tana, a target of offensives by the Fano militia insurgency active across the region since 2023.
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Shirecity14.1061, 38.2839
Northwestern Tigray town that has served as a major shelter site for civilians displaced by the region's recurring rounds of conflict.
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Humeraregion14.2974, 36.6136
Town anchoring the disputed Western Tigray territory, occupied by Amhara regional and Eritrean forces since the Tigray war and claimed by both Tigray and Amhara.
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Jijigacity9.3500, 42.8000
Capital of Ethiopia's Somali region, on the road corridor linking Addis Ababa to the port of Berbera in Somaliland.
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Ambocity8.9806, 37.8547
Oromia town west of Addis Ababa that has repeatedly seen unrest tied to the Oromo Liberation Army insurgency.
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Gondarcity12.6000, 37.4667
Historic former imperial capital in Amhara region and a center of Fano militia recruitment and activity.
Key facts
- The Ethiopia Conflict is a multi-front insurgency in the Horn of Africa, currently Active (High intensity).
- Ethiopia faces multiple overlapping conflicts, including insurgencies in the Amhara and Oromia regions and unresolved tensions following the Tigray war, straining national stability.
- Key actors: Federal government, Amhara Fano militias, Oromo Liberation Army.
- What's at stake: National cohesion, Civilian protection, Humanitarian recovery.
Latest developments
The headlines below are pulled automatically from Google News (the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs) and link to primary reporting. They are updated periodically; last refreshed 2026-08-06.
- Ethiopia-Tigray: Hundreds flee fighting in northern Ethiopia as fears rise of return to civil war2026-08-03 — BBC
- Ethiopia: Tigray residents at renewed risk of human rights violations as violence returns to the region2026-08-03 — Amnesty International
- Tigray refugees flee into Sudan after deadly violence on Ethiopia border2026-08-03 — Al Jazeera
- Clashes in Ethiopia along borders with Sudan, Eritrea stoke worry of larger regional war2026-08-03 — مدى مصر
- Hundreds flee Ethiopia to war-torn Sudan, following new fighting in Tigray2026-08-03 — RFI
- As war fears grow in Ethiopia, women soldiers recount the sexual violence they experienced2026-07-15 — The New Humanitarian
- Fighting breaks out in western Tigray as Ethiopia and TPLF trade blame2026-08-01 — Al Jazeera
- Ethiopia is not being ‘dragged into war’2026-06-25 — Al Jazeera
Overview
Ethiopia faces multiple overlapping conflicts, including insurgencies in the Amhara and Oromia regions and unresolved tensions following the Tigray war, straining national stability.
This page is an evergreen orientation. Figures and control change continually — confirm the latest with the primary sources listed below.
Key actors
- Federal government — and national defense forces.
- Amhara Fano militias — fighting federal forces in the north.
- Oromo Liberation Army — operating in Oromia.
- Regional forces — with shifting alignments across regions.
What's at stake
- National cohesion: the risk of further fragmentation.
- Civilian protection: abuses and displacement across regions.
- Humanitarian recovery: rebuilding after the Tigray war.
- Regional stability: spillover in the Horn of Africa.
Ethiopia Conflict explained: the key dynamics
Multiple overlapping conflicts
Ethiopia faces not one war but several: an insurgency by Amhara Fano militias, the Oromo Liberation Army in Oromia, and unresolved tensions following the devastating Tigray war.
After the Tigray war
A 2022 agreement ended large-scale fighting in Tigray, but recovery is fragile and grievances remain, while violence shifted to other regions.
Strain on national cohesion
The combination of regional insurgencies and ethnic-federal tensions raises concerns about the cohesion of Africa's second-most-populous state.
Timeline: how the ethiopia conflict unfolded
- 2020–22 — A devastating war in Tigray kills large numbers and displaces millions.
- Nov 2022 — A peace agreement halts the Tigray war.
- 2023–24 — Conflict intensifies in the Amhara and Oromia regions.
- 2025–26 — Multiple regional insurgencies strain national stability.
How this conflict is mapped and tracked
Ethiopia's conflicts are tracked by ACLED across several regions, with UCDP recording distinct dyads for Tigray, Amhara, and Oromia. The Tigray war's death toll is estimated to be among the highest of any recent conflict but remains uncertain; all figures are estimates.
For how these datasets differ, see ACLED vs UCDP vs CFR and our guide to conflict-tracking tools.
Conflict in Ethiopia: Fragile Peace, Persistent Violence
The November 2022 Pretoria Agreement formally ended the Tigray war — a two-year conflict between Ethiopian federal forces, the Tigray People's Liberation Front, and allied Eritrean forces — but political implementation remains contested. Hundreds of thousands died in the conflict, and the Tigray region continues to face humanitarian challenges.
Ethiopia's federal government faces two significant ongoing armed challenges. In Amhara, the Fano militia — initially aligned with Addis Ababa during the Tigray war — launched its own insurgency in 2023, contesting the disarmament of regional forces ordered by Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed. In Oromia, the Oromo Liberation Army (OLA, also known as OLA-Shane) continues a years-long insurgency.
Prime Minister Abiy's stated goal of securing Ethiopian access to the Red Sea — potentially through an agreement with Somaliland — has generated significant tensions with Eritrea, Djibouti, and Somalia. An armed confrontation with Eritrea, whose forces were decisive Tigray war allies, is assessed as a meaningful risk in the medium term.
How it fits the global picture
This is one of 29 active armed conflict theaters tracked on the Global Armed Conflicts Map. Explore related and concurrent conflicts:
Frequently asked questions
Is Ethiopia at war in 2026?
Ethiopia faces active insurgencies in several regions and fragile post-Tigray tensions. Confirm the current status with primary sources such as ACLED, UCDP, and the CFR Global Conflict Tracker.
What conflicts are happening in Ethiopia?
Active fronts include the Amhara Fano insurgency, the Oromo Liberation Army in Oromia, and unresolved tensions from the Tigray war.
How can I follow it live?
Use the interactive conflict map to see this theater alongside 28 other active conflicts, filter by intensity and region, and open intelligence briefings for each.
Is the Tigray war over?
Large-scale fighting in Tigray ended with a 2022 agreement, but the peace is fragile and other regional conflicts in Amhara and Oromia have since intensified.
Who are the Fano?
The Fano are Amhara militias that fought alongside federal forces in the Tigray war and later turned against the government, becoming a major insurgent force in the Amhara region.
Source provenance
- Council on Foreign Relations, Global Conflict Tracker 3 days · as of 2026-08-03
- News feed 0 days · as of 2026-08-06
| Date | Change | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 2026-08-06 | Headlines refreshed | News feed |
| 2026-08-03 | Addis Ababa control updated | Council on Foreign Relations, Global Conflict Tracker |
| 2026-08-03 | Mekelle control updated | Council on Foreign Relations, Global Conflict Tracker |