Humanitarian aid
UN warns escalating conflict in northern Ethiopia threatens civilians and aid delivery
The United Nations says fighting across northern Ethiopia, including drone attacks and road blockades, is endangering civilians, disrupting aid and cutting communications in Tigray.
Escalating fighting hampers humanitarian access
Fighting has spread across several fronts in northern Ethiopia, with reports of drone use and attacks that have injured civilians. A drone strike in north‑western Tigray hit a truck carrying food assistance for internally displaced people, while armed groups have seized humanitarian vehicles in parts of Amhara. Road closures have forced the suspension or rerouting of planned aid movements, limiting agencies’ ability to reach populations already displaced by earlier conflict. The United Nations has repeatedly called on all parties to guarantee safe and unhindered access for relief operations.
Communication shutdown and weather stress compound vulnerability
Internet and mobile services have been largely cut across the Tigray region, leaving many residents without cash‑less payment options and restricting contact with families. The loss of connectivity coincides with below‑average rainfall linked to the El Niño weather pattern, which is expected to worsen already extreme conditions. The 2020‑2022 war saw widespread atrocities and famine‑like conditions, and the 2022 peace deal brokered by the African Union remains fragile. UN officials warn that the current disruption could reverse progress made since the accord and deepen the humanitarian crisis. Humanitarian agencies report that the communication blackout hampers coordination and the delivery of essential supplies.
UN diplomatic push for dialogue and protection of aid
Secretary‑General António Guterres is monitoring the situation closely, while Special Envoy for the Horn of Africa Guang Cong is engaging national and regional interlocutors to revive dialogue under the 2022 accord. UN spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric highlighted civilian harm, noting airstrikes that hit five schools on 22 September and a mortar strike that killed civilians in Kobo, Amhara two days later. High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk also urged de‑escalation, warning that a return to full‑scale war would further endanger civilians across the north. The UN continues to press for safe humanitarian access and to protect aid workers from targeted attacks.