Ethiopian federal government and Tigrayan forces clashed in disputed territories in the Tigray region on February 9, 2026, marking the first large-scale hostilities between the two parties since the end of the Tigray war in 2022, according to Critical Threats reported during the 29-minute window from 6:45:48 PM to 7:15:36 PM UTC. The clashes follow Ethiopia's demand on February 7 for the withdrawal of Eritrean forces from Tigray, with Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed accusing Eritrea of mass killings during the Tigray war, as stated by Critical Threats. These statements come amid deteriorating Eritrea-Ethiopia relations since the Pretoria peace process excluded Eritrea despite its wartime alliance against the TPLF. Ethiopia has separately demanded sea access via Eritrea’s port of Assab without fully ruling out force, per the Critical Threats analysis. International observers warned of imminent war in March 2025 after Eritrea and Ethiopia massed forces at their border. Outstanding issues in implementing the Pretoria peace agreement threaten broader regional conflict involving Egypt, Eritrea, and the UAE, according to Critical Threats. Heightened tensions could draw in Eritrea on the TPLF side due to bolstered ties, while a protracted conflict might extend Sudan's proxy war into Ethiopia with Egypt backing Eritrea and UAE supporting Ethiopia.
