Ethiopia accuses Sudan and Egypt of backing Tigray rebels as fighting resumes

September 28, 2026 at 04:00 PM2 min

This digest was compiled by AI from multiple sources — links to the originals are below.

Ethiopia's army chief Field Marshal Birhanu Jula accused Sudan and Egypt of backing armed groups fighting federal troops in the north after clashes resumed with the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF). Sudan's military denied the allegations as baseless and counterclaimed that the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) receives support from within Ethiopia. The renewed fighting has raised fears of a return to the 2020-2022 civil war that killed an estimated 600,000 people.

Key Facts

Field Marshal Birhanu Jula said the forces fighting Ethiopia's army are "organised and allied to serve the interests of external forces" and cannot achieve gains without support from Sudan, Egypt and other external powers.
Sudan's military denied the allegations as "baseless" and claimed the RSF receives training, supplies and drone-related military activity from within Ethiopia.
Fighting between the TPLF and Ethiopia's federal government resumed on Wednesday, raising fears of a return to the 2020-2022 civil war in which an estimated 600,000 people died.
The headquarters of Tigrai TV in Mekelle was hit by a drone on Sunday, and communications in Tigray have been limited since Friday due to major disruptions to phone and internet services.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres is "particularly troubled by reports of the use of drones as well as incidents of harm to civilians", his spokesman said.

Accusations and Denials

Field Marshal Birhanu Jula, speaking on the army's YouTube channel on Sunday, said Ethiopia is fighting "forces that are organised and allied to serve the interests of external forces". He added that these forces would not be able to achieve any gains unless they were "backed, supported and supplied by Sudan, Egypt and other external powers". The Sudanese military denied the allegations in a statement on Sunday, calling them "baseless". Sudan's military, which has been fighting the RSF since 2023, counterclaimed that the RSF was receiving support from within Ethiopia's territory, including training, supplies and military activity involving drones.

Resumed Fighting and Civilian Impact

Fighting between the TPLF and Ethiopia's federal government, led by Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, resumed on Wednesday. The renewed clashes have raised fears of a return to the 2020-2022 civil war, in which an estimated 600,000 people died. The headquarters of Tigrai TV, seen as the key outlet for the rebel authorities in Mekelle, was hit by a drone on Sunday. Communications have been limited since Friday when telecommunications providers reported major disruptions to phone and internet services in Tigray, making reporting on the conflict difficult. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres's spokesman said the secretary-general was "particularly troubled by reports of the use of drones as well as incidents of harm to civilians".

Military Developments

The TPLF has seized airports and launched attacks into the neighbouring states of Afar and Amhara. The TPLF said it was engaged in a "defensive war" against the government. No exact figures on the number of casualties were confirmed.