In the town of Adwa, elderly men and women sit beneath acacia trees, speaking in hushed tones about the return of gunfire. The peace they once hoped for after the November 2022 agreement now seems distant. Fighting between Tigrayan forces and the Ethiopian National Defence Force resumed in early August 2026, bringing back the spectre of a conflict that had already devastated the region for two years.
The guns fell silent. Aid groups worked to rebuild. People in Mekelle and Axum returned to their routines, believing the war was over. But Amnesty International says the deal was never followed by justice.
Instead of pursuing investigations into documented atrocities — from extrajudicial killings to sexual violence — the government abandoned its proposed transitional justice process. Key international investigative mechanisms, like those of the United Nations and African Union, saw their mandates expire. The absence of legal accountability, Amnesty argues, sent a message that crimes could be committed without consequence.
The Cost of Silence
In the months before the recent clashes, the human rights situation in Tigray was already deteriorating. Independent media faced tighter controls. Thousands were conscripted into armed groups. Freedom of movement was restricted. The conditions, Amnesty says, created fertile ground for renewed conflict.
The Ethiopian government did not respond to requests for comment about the current state of human rights investigations or military actions. Civil society groups, however, say the government’s refusal to comply with international legal standards has left the door open for abuses to continue unchecked.
A Region on the Brink
The renewed violence in Tigray occurs alongside ongoing fighting in the Amhara and Oromia regions. Amnesty International has recorded grave violations in those areas as well, including attacks on civilians and denial of aid. The organisation warns that Ethiopia’s security and human rights crisis is now widespread.
Amnesty calls for renewed international oversight and adherence to humanitarian law. It urges the Ethiopian government and Tigrayan authorities to allow independent monitors and humanitarian workers access to affected areas. Without that, the cycle of violence and impunity, it says, will continue.