Qatar and UAE back Ethiopian government as fighting spreads beyond Tigray

Gulf States Urge Support for Ethiopia as Northern Conflict Widens

Usagevpn.com – Diplomatic concern is mounting over renewed violence in northern Ethiopia, with Qatar and the United Arab Emirates publicly backing an end to the fighting while affirming support for Ethiopia’s sovereignty and constitutional order.

The confrontation, now extending beyond Tigray into the neighbouring Afar and Amhara regions, marks the gravest escalation since the Pretoria Peace Agreement brought Ethiopia’s 2020–2022 war to a close. That conflict killed hundreds of thousands of people and inflicted severe disruption on communities across the north.

Qatar calls for de-escalation and civilian protection

Qatar’s Foreign Ministry condemned the military escalation directed at Ethiopia’s federal forces, warning that the crisis could undermine national unity and sovereignty while destabilising the broader Horn of Africa.

Doha urged an immediate halt to hostilities, safeguards for civilians and renewed adherence to the Pretoria agreement between Ethiopia and Tigray. Its statement did not specifically identify either the Tigray People’s Liberation Front, known as the TPLF, or the recently formed alliance of armed groups opposing the federal authorities.

Qatar said it offered “full support” for efforts aimed at easing tensions and settling disagreements through dialogue.

The appeal reflects the importance of the Pretoria agreement as the principal framework for preventing a return to a wider regional war. Its implementation has remained central to hopes of restoring stability after years of fighting, displacement and strained access to essential services.

UAE voices solidarity with federal authorities

The United Arab Emirates took a more explicit position in support of Addis Ababa, condemning attacks it attributed to the TPLF and its armed partners against federal forces. Abu Dhabi also criticised the takeover of airports in Tigray and the expansion of clashes into Afar and Amhara.

UAE Minister of State Sheikh Shakhboot bin Nahyan Al Nahyan said the Emirates stood with Ethiopia’s government and its people, while rejecting efforts to alter the country’s constitutional system through armed force.

He said the UAE was in “full solidarity with the government and people” of Ethiopia.

The differing wording from Qatar and the UAE nevertheless points to a shared concern: a prolonged conflict could deepen Ethiopia’s humanitarian emergency and create wider insecurity in a strategically significant part of Africa.

Airports seized as battle lines shift

Tigrayan forces captured airports in Mekelle, Axum and Shire last week, leading Ethiopian Airlines to suspend its flights to the region. The airport seizures drew particular alarm from UN Secretary-General António Guterres, who said he was “gravely concerned” by the developments and by the spread of the fighting beyond Tigray.

Guterres called on every party to stop military operations, protect non-combatants, permit humanitarian organisations to reach people needing assistance and resume talks under the Pretoria peace framework.

The TPLF has said it is acting in self-defence after attacks on Tigray involving drones, artillery and ground forces. Federal officials, however, accuse the group of beginning a pre-planned offensive.

Over the weekend, Tigrayan forces took Erebti in Afar. On Monday, pro-government forces said they had gained control of Alamata, a strategically important supply town roughly 120 kilometres south of Mekelle, Tigray’s capital. Control of transport links and towns along supply routes can have serious consequences for civilians, humanitarian deliveries and the movement of those trying to flee violence.

Hospitals face rising numbers of wounded people

The human cost is already becoming apparent. Médecins Sans Frontières said hospitals in Korem and Alamata treated more than 420 wounded people between 22 and 25 September. Suhul Hospital received more than 300 injured people last week.

The Afar Pastoralist Development Association has estimated that about 150,000 people have been forced from their homes by the renewed conflict. Large-scale displacement can quickly intensify pressure on host communities and make food, shelter, medical treatment and humanitarian access more difficult.

A drone strike hit the headquarters of Tigrai TV in Mekelle on Sunday. Journalists said they had left the premises after an earlier blast was heard. No injuries or deaths were reported, and the federal government did not issue a public comment on the attack.

Regional accusations add to tensions

Ethiopia’s army chief, Field Marshal Birhanu Jula, accused Eritrea, Sudan and Egypt of helping armed groups fighting the federal government, though he did not present evidence for the claims.

Sudan’s army denied the accusation and countered that Ethiopia had allowed its territory to be used in support of Sudan’s paramilitary Rapid Support Forces. Egypt’s Foreign Ministry did not mention Ethiopia by name but dismissed claims of Egyptian interference in other states. Spokesperson Nader Zaki said Cairo respected the sovereignty and territorial integrity of other countries.

Eritrea also rejected claims that it was supporting Ethiopian armed groups, accusing Addis Ababa of trying to transfer blame for the latest violence.

The TPLF this month joined six other armed organisations in an alliance that says it seeks to remove Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s government and establish a transitional administration. The emergence of that coalition, combined with fighting in multiple regions, raises the stakes for diplomatic efforts to restore the ceasefire and prevent another devastating nationwide escalation.