UN chief ‘deeply alarmed’ by armed clashes in Ethiopia’s Tigray

UN chief ‘deeply alarmed’ by armed clashes in Ethiopia’s Tigray

Ethiopia PM orders troops into Tigray region in major escalation

The conflict has pitted government troops against the TPLF, for decades the dominant political force in the country's multi-ethnic ruling coalition, until Abiy, a member of the Oromo ethnic group, took office two years ago.

Abiy, who has tried to open up what has long been one of the most restrictive economic and political systems in Africa, reorganised the ruling coalition into a single party which the TPLF refused to join.

Countries in the region fear that the crisis could escalate into all-out war under Abiy, who won the 2019 Nobel Peace Prize for ending a decades-old conflict with neighbouring Eritrea but has failed to prevent outbreaks of ethnic unrest.

The Tigray administration, which is led by president Debretsion Gebremichael, said on Thursday it