Fierce fighting reportedly erupted in western Tigray near the Sudanese border, around the village of Shererina, as forces affiliated with the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) and the Ethiopian National Defense Force (ENDF) exchanged heavy fire.

According to reports, the clashes began early Saturday morning and involved a TPLF unit known as “Army 70,” reportedly based across the border in Sudan, and Ethiopian federal troops. The fighting reportedly involved heavy artillery, mechanized units, and drones.

The TPLF’s deputy leader, Amanuel Assefa, told AFP that federal forces had launched an offensive against the group’s positions using heavy artillery. The Ethiopian government has not yet confirmed this account of events. Amanuel said that the fighting, which began around 6:00 a.m., was “still ongoing.”

For several months, the two sides, whose relations have been severely strained, have accused each other of attempting to spark a new conflict.

Tensions have also persisted between Ethiopia and Sudan, with Addis Ababa accusing Khartoum of financing TPLF “mercenaries.” Sudan, meanwhile, has reported drone strikes that it said originated from Ethiopian territory.

The TPLF is said to have moved closer to neighboring Eritrea, a country that today maintains deeply strained relations with Addis Ababa. The reported rapprochement has raised concerns among Ethiopia’s federal authorities, who accuse the TPLF of seeking external support amid renewed political tensions.

At a recent public rally, TPLF leader Debretsion Gebremichael appeared to allude to a shift in the group’s position, stating that “we are not alone as we were in the past; we have allies now.”

Debretsion further stated that the Prosperity Party would no longer be confronting only Tigray, suggesting that other forces opposed to the authorities are also emerging. “There are other actors who see this regime as a threat. While we can count on ourselves, we also have allies who want to bring an end to this system,” he was quoted as saying.

In recent months, the TPLF has reportedly intensified preparations in Tigray by carrying out forced military recruitment. Reports indicate that the group has been expanding its forces, while many young people are said to have been leaving the region in large numbers to avoid being forcibly recruited.

Over the past few weeks, the U.S. Ambassador to Ethiopia and the African Union’s High Representative for the Horn of Africa, Olusegun Obasanjo, have traveled to the Tigray region in an effort to mediate a peaceful resolution to the ongoing conflict. However, despite these diplomatic engagements, the initiatives appear to have made limited progress, with no clear breakthrough achieved thus far.