Tigray faction captures towns as government struggles to maintain control

In the Tigray region of Ethiopia, a faction of the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF) has recently taken control of two significant towns, Adigrat and Adi-Gudem, prompting the interim administration to call for federal assistance. This escalation is seen as a violation of the Pretoria Agreement, a peace deal reached in 2023 that aimed to end a devastating two-year civil war in which over 100,000 people were killed. The TPLF, once the dominant political party in Ethiopia, continues to face accusations of internal strife and acts of rebellion against the Ethiopian federal government, raising concerns about a potential return to violence. The interim government's response includes the removal of senior military figures, accused of failing to curb illegal activities, leading to accusations of conspiracies against the government from both sides. As the situation deteriorates, the possibility of renewed conflict looms over the already troubled region of Tigray, alarming both local and international observers who fear further humanitarian crises and the destabilization of the area.