News Tens of Thousands Flee Alamata as Fighting Erupts Once Again in Uneasy…
January 31, 2026
African Union calls for restraint
By Surafel Ashebir
Thousands of civilians and residents are fleeing disputed border areas between the Amhara and Tigray regions amid reports of clashes involving federal and regional forces and informal militias.
While details on the fighting remain unclear, sources in the area say the clashes involved the Ethiopian National Defense Force (ENDF), Tigray Peace Forces (TPF), Tigray Defense Forces (TDF), and armed groups active in the two regions.
Reports indicate the tensions were behind the decision to suspend commercial flights to airports in Tigray earlier this week. Residents in Tigray told The Reporter that cash has become increasingly scarce over the past few weeks.
Local officials and fleeing residents who spoke to The Reporter confirmed that TDF divisions advanced to take control of disputed areas, prompting a retreat from ENDF.
ENDF took a step back in an attempt to avoid clashes, however the withdrawal of federal troops created a vacuum that was quickly filled by TDF, leading to confrontations with other forces and the displacement of civilians, according to sources in the area.
Civilians have been evacuated from Alamata, Beraya Alamata, Rayabala, Korem, Wefla, and Zata districts to Kobo and Woldiya.
At present, forces loyal to the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) have taken control of the town of Alamata and hoisted the regional flag, an eyewitness told The Reporter.