January 30, 2026
(Photo: Reuters)
Addis Abeba — Several Tigray-based opposition political parties have issued separate open letters warning of an imminent risk of renewed conflict in the region and calling on international mediators and guarantors of the Cessation of Hostilities Agreement (CoHA) to take urgent preventive action.
Salsay Weyane Tigray (SaWeT) and the Tigray Independence Party (TIP), in letters addressed to the United Nations, the African Union (AU), the United States, the European Union, and other guarantors and facilitators of the Pretoria peace agreement, expressed deep concern over what they described as escalating political and military tensions that could unravel the fragile peace in Tigray.
In its open letter, SaWeT warned that the region is “on the brink of an absolutely preventable disaster,” saying that a growing military confrontation threatens the collapse of the peace achieved under the Pretoria agreement signed in November 2022. The party said the people of Tigray, who endured years of war and humanitarian crisis, now face the prospect of a renewed conflict that could be “infinitely more devastating than the last.”
“The window for prevention is closing rapidly,” SaWeT wrote, warning that continued inaction risks normalizing a march toward war with catastrophic and irreversible consequences for Tigray and the wider Horn of Africa.
SaWeT called for immediate high-level diplomatic intervention to de-escalate tensions, restoration of what it described as Tigray’s territorial integrity and administrative boundaries, the safe and dignified return of internally displaced persons, the resumption of robust and independent monitoring mechanisms, and accountability for violations of the peace process. The letter was copied to the Tigray Interim Administration and the federal government.
In a separate but similar appeal, the Tigray Independence Party warned of escalating tensions between the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) and the Ethiopian National Defense Force (ENDF), saying the developments pose a “serious and immediate threat” to the CoHA.
TIP said that while the Pretoria Peace Agreement formally ended active hostilities, its implementation has been “slow, uneven, and inadequately monitored,” leading to growing mistrust, continued militarization, and unilateral actions that undermine dialogue.
“The Cessation of Hostilities Agreement is not self-executing,” the party said, emphasizing that its survival depends on sustained mediation, early-warning mechanisms, and decisive preventive engagement. TIP warned that delayed or muted responses by mediators could embolden actors who view military confrontation as a viable option.
The party urged mediators to proactively engage all relevant actors, publicly reaffirm red lines against unilateral military actions, strengthen monitoring and verification mechanisms, prioritize civilian protection and humanitarian access, and ensure impartial accountability for actions that undermine the agreement.
Both parties stressed that another war in Tigray would be catastrophic for a population already exhausted by years of conflict, mass displacement, and economic devastation. They described renewed fighting as avoidable and called for immediate, impartial, and decisive action by international stakeholders.
While SaWeT framed its appeal as a “final and desperate plea” to avert imminent war, TIP said its letter was not intended to assign exclusive blame or advance partisan interests, but rather to issue a sober warning grounded in political responsibility and lived experience. Both parties said they remain committed to peaceful political struggle and urged mediators to act without delay.
Meanwhile, Tigray Democratic Solidarity (Simret), in a separate statement, called on the international community to exert what it described as comprehensive pressure to ensure the full implementation of the Pretoria peace agreement. The party accused what it termed a “criminal group” within the TPLF of making preparations for a large-scale military offensive involving heavy weapons and alleged that such preparations could extend toward the Amhara and Afar regions.
The statements by opposition parties come amid heightened tensions in northern Ethiopia. On Friday, AU Commission Chairperson Mahmoud Ali Youssouf urged all parties in Tigray to exercise maximum restraint, warning against actions that could undermine the hard-won gains of the AU-led Permanent Cessation of Hostilities Agreement signed in Pretoria on 2 November 2022.
Concerns have intensified following reports of clashes between federal forces and Tigrayan fighters in parts of Tigray. Security and diplomatic sources told AFP on Thursday that the fighting prompted the suspension of flights to several airports in the region. Addis Standard also reported that Ethiopian Airlines suspended all flights scheduled for the day to Mekelle, Axum, Shire, and Humera. AS