AU Commission chief urges restraint in Ethiopia’s Tigray amid fears of renewed war
Mahmoud Ali Youssouf warns against undermining 2022 Pretoria peace deal amid growing calls in Tigray to avert return to conflict
African Union (AU) Commission Chairperson Mahmoud Ali Youssouf on Friday issued an urgent appeal for “maximum restraint” following media reports of flight suspensions and escalating tensions in northern Ethiopia’s Tigray region.
The AU chief’s remarks came amid growing calls from activists and political parties in Tigray to avert a potential return to conflict.
In an open letter, Salsay Woyane, an opposition party operating in the region, warned international mediators of an “imminent and catastrophic collapse” of Tigray’s fragile peace.
The party called for immediate diplomatic engagement between Ethiopia’s federal government and the Tigray People’s Liberation Front to avert what it described as a “preventable disaster.”
Suspended flights
Media reports indicate the security situation shifted Thursday when Ethiopian Airlines abruptly suspended all scheduled flights to the regional capital Mekelle, as well as to Axum, Shire and Humera, citing “unplanned circumstances.”
The reports also point to fresh clashes in the Tselemti area of western Tigray, a volatile zone that has remained a flashpoint since the formal end of the civil war.
“The chairperson calls upon all parties to exercise maximum restraint, refrain from actions that could undermine confidence, and resolve all outstanding issues through constructive dialogue, in full adherence to the obligations and spirit of the Permanent COHA,” the AU said in a statement.
The current tensions represent a significant test for the Permanent Cessation of Hostilities Agreement (COHA), signed in Pretoria in November 2022.
Contested territories
While the accord ended a two-year conflict between the federal government and the Tigray People’s Liberation Front, disputes over contested territories claimed by both Tigrayan and Amhara regional authorities continue to strain the peace process, according to media reports.
The AU reaffirmed its “unwavering commitment” to the peace process, saying its high-level panel remains ready to scale up facilitation and confidence-building measures to prevent a relapse into broader hostilities.