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Ethiopia · Survival · Severe · impact 3 of 5
First reported 30 September 2026 · latest 2 October 2026 · 5 reports from 5 outlets
Part of Ethiopia
One development in Tigray renewed fighting
Access restricted: reporters cannot reach the area, so counts are likely low.
Renewed fighting in northern Ethiopia has killed at least 52 civilians in Alamata and forced tens of thousands to flee in Afar, disrupting aid access and hindering relief work.
Federal forces and their allies appear to have made gains in southern Tigray and are advancing towards Mekelle, the regional capital. In Alamata, a doctor told the BBC earlier this week that at least 52 civilians had been killed during three days of intense fighting. The TPLF has also been fighting in neighbouring Afar, which lies along Ethiopia's crucial transport corridor to Djibouti and the sea.
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.
If confirmed as a rebel attack, it would mark the first time the city has been targeted in recent years."The explosion took place at the HQ and was powerful. It shook the surrounding area and triggered significant panic among people in the vicinity," a worker at a nearby bar told AFP, relaying information from colleagues working at the time."There were a few minutes of disturbing sounds followed by an explosion," a local resident added.Neither the Prime Minister's office nor the army spokesperson responded to requests for comment.On Wednesday, the National Intelligence and Security Services ordered a ban on all drone flights around the capital.Conflict monitor ACLED said drones suspected to be linked to the anti-government alliance targeted army and civilian airports in Oromia and Amhara states on Sunday.Clashes ongoingHundreds have been killed and wounded since heavy fighting resumed in northern Ethiopia last week, and clashes were ongoing along several fronts.The TPLF launched attacks into neighbouring Afar and Amhara states, fighting alongside local militias, but there were signs that it was being pushed back on Thursday.A humanitarian source told AFP the TPLF had been dislodged
Every figure we read, newest first.
Ethiopia: Alamata Fighting Leaves Trail of Civilian Casualties - Adigrat Eparch Appeals for Help. Addis Abeba More than 50 civilians have reportedly been killed in and around Alamata, southern Tigray, during several days of intense fighting in late September, as renewed hostilities in northern Ethiopia leave residents displaced, medical facilities overwhelmed and humanitarian access increasingly difficult. Discover moreShop African ArtPolitical commentary subscriptionBreaking news alerts A resident who fled Alamata to North Wollo Zone in the neighboring Amhara Region told Addis Standard that the fighting erupted as residents were preparing for the Saturday market.
Suddenly, the town looked like a full-blown war zone," the resident said. The resident added that hundreds had fled in search of safety and that artillery fire striking a crowded marketplace had killed "more than a dozen civilians." Keep up with the latest headlines on WhatsApp LinkedIn Hospital sources and a doctor at Alamata General Hospital told the BBC that at least 52 civilians were killed during approximately three days of fighting, primarily between 26 and 29 September. The victims reportedly included children, mothers and cattle herders, with some of the shelling striking residential areas.
Suddenly, the town looked like a full-blown war zone," the resident said. The resident added that hundreds had fled in search of safety and that artillery fire striking a crowded marketplace had killed "more than a dozen civilians." Keep up with the latest headlines on WhatsApp LinkedIn Hospital sources and a doctor at Alamata General Hospital told the BBC that at least 52 civilians were killed during approximately three days of fighting, primarily between 26 and 29 September. The victims reportedly included children, mothers and cattle herders, with some of the shelling striking residential areas.
Suddenly, the town looked like a full-blown war zone," the resident said. The resident added that hundreds had fled in search of safety and that artillery fire striking a crowded marketplace had killed "more than a dozen civilians." Keep up with the latest headlines on WhatsApp LinkedIn Hospital sources and a doctor at Alamata General Hospital told the BBC that at least 52 civilians were killed during approximately three days of fighting, primarily between 26 and 29 September. The victims reportedly included children, mothers and cattle herders, with some of the shelling striking residential areas.
The victims reportedly included children, mothers and cattle herders, with some of the shelling striking residential areas. One attack on the town's marketplace reportedly killed 12 people. Ethiopian capital insights The reported toll comes amid a sharp deterioration in the security situation across Tigray, where renewed clashes between federal forces and Tigrayan forces have displaced residents and disrupted essential services.
Ethiopia and Eritrea cut diplomatic ties as northern conflict escalates. More than 50 people have been killed since heavy fighting resumed in northern Ethiopia last week Ethiopia and Eritrea have severed diplomatic relations as renewed fighting in northern Ethiopia raises fears of a wider regional conflict. On Thursday, Ethiopia announced it was closing its embassy in the Eritrean capital, Asmara, and ordered 10 Eritrean diplomats to leave the country within 48 hours, accusing them of activities that threatened national security.
The latest hostilities are the most serious since a peace agreement ended the devastating Tigray war in 2022. An African Union mediator previously estimated that about 600,000 people had died during that two-year conflict. Last month, the TPLF joined six other armed movements, including the Fano militia from Amhara, to form an alliance whose stated objective is to remove Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed's government from power.
Federal forces and their allies appear to have made gains in southern Tigray and are advancing towards Mekelle, the regional capital. In Alamata, a doctor told the BBC earlier this week that at least 52 civilians had been killed during three days of intense fighting. The TPLF has also been fighting in neighbouring Afar, which lies along Ethiopia's crucial transport corridor to Djibouti and the sea.
The TPLF has also been fighting in neighbouring Afar, which lies along Ethiopia's crucial transport corridor to Djibouti and the sea. Tens of thousands of people are estimated to have fled their homes there. Both the Ethiopian government and the TPLF accuse the other of starting the latest hostilities.
Blasts in Ethiopian capital after government banned drone flights. An explosion rocked the Ethiopian army's headquarters overnight in the capital, Addis Ababa, sources told AFP on Thursday (October 1, 2026), while pro-government forces said they had pushed back rebel troops in the north.Heavy fighting broke out on September 23 between Ethiopian forces and the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF), raising fears of a return to the devastating 2020-2022 civil war that killed an estimated 600,000 people.Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed is due to be sworn in for a new term on Monday (October 5, 2026) after winning elections in June, but faces conflict on multiple fronts as several armed groups have formed an alliance against him.The explosion at the Ethiopian National Defence Force (ENDF) headquarters in the Tor Hayloch area of Addis Ababa happened between midnight and 1:00a.m. local time, diplomatic and security sources said.They could not say the nature of the blast or who was responsible, nor any casualty figures.
If confirmed as a rebel attack, it would mark the first time the city has been targeted in recent years."The explosion took place at the HQ and was powerful. It shook the surrounding area and triggered significant panic among people in the vicinity," a worker at a nearby bar told AFP, relaying information from colleagues working at the time."There were a few minutes of disturbing sounds followed by an explosion," a local resident added.Neither the Prime Minister's office nor the army spokesperson responded to requests for comment.On Wednesday, the National Intelligence and Security Services ordered a ban on all drone flights around the capital.Conflict monitor ACLED said drones suspected to be linked to the anti-government alliance targeted army and civilian airports in Oromia and Amhara states on Sunday.Clashes ongoingHundreds have been killed and wounded since heavy fighting resumed in northern Ethiopia last week, and clashes were ongoing along several fronts.The TPLF launched attacks into neighbouring Afar and Amhara states, fighting alongside local militias, but there were signs that it was being pushed back on Thursday.A humanitarian source told AFP the TPLF had been dislodged
If confirmed as a rebel attack, it would mark the first time the city has been targeted in recent years."The explosion took place at the HQ and was powerful. It shook the surrounding area and triggered significant panic among people in the vicinity," a worker at a nearby bar told AFP, relaying information from colleagues working at the time."There were a few minutes of disturbing sounds followed by an explosion," a local resident added.Neither the Prime Minister's office nor the army spokesperson responded to requests for comment.On Wednesday, the National Intelligence and Security Services ordered a ban on all drone flights around the capital.Conflict monitor ACLED said drones suspected to be linked to the anti-government alliance targeted army and civilian airports in Oromia and Amhara states on Sunday.Clashes ongoingHundreds have been killed and wounded since heavy fighting resumed in northern Ethiopia last week, and clashes were ongoing along several fronts.The TPLF launched attacks into neighbouring Afar and Amhara states, fighting alongside local militias, but there were signs that it was being pushed back on Thursday.A humanitarian source told AFP the TPLF had been dislodged
If confirmed as a rebel attack, it would mark the first time the city has been targeted in recent years."The explosion took place at the HQ and was powerful. It shook the surrounding area and triggered significant panic among people in the vicinity," a worker at a nearby bar told AFP, relaying information from colleagues working at the time."There were a few minutes of disturbing sounds followed by an explosion," a local resident added.Neither the Prime Minister's office nor the army spokesperson responded to requests for comment.On Wednesday, the National Intelligence and Security Services ordered a ban on all drone flights around the capital.Conflict monitor ACLED said drones suspected to be linked to the anti-government alliance targeted army and civilian airports in Oromia and Amhara states on Sunday.Clashes ongoingHundreds have been killed and wounded since heavy fighting resumed in northern Ethiopia last week, and clashes were ongoing along several fronts.The TPLF launched attacks into neighbouring Afar and Amhara states, fighting alongside local militias, but there were signs that it was being pushed back on Thursday.A humanitarian source told AFP the TPLF had been dislodged
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.
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.
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.
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.
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