Please pray: over 600 dead as renewed conflict grips northern Ethiopia

An outbreak of civil conflict has struck northern Ethiopia in recent weeks and continues to rock communities and cities. Hundreds have been injured and hundreds more killed. Please pray.

A recent eruption of conflict is shaking up the northern regions of Ethiopia and impacting the lives of civilians and communities of believers. The fighting broke out on 22 September between the Ethiopian government and a coalition formed of seven heavily armed opposition groups and is showing no signs of abatement. Believers in Ethiopia already face persecution in varying forms – from discrimination and social exclusion to mob violence – and many fear that the renewed conflict could intensify these patterns.

The coalition, named the Ethiopian Peoples’ Forces Alliance for Survival (EPFAS), has roots in a long-standing conflict in the north of the country between governmental forces and insurgent groups that ended with a peace agreement signed in 2022. However, recent clashes in Tigray, Afar and Amhara have effectively nullified the treaty and cast the region into chaos.

For our persecuted brothers and sisters, northern Ethiopia can be characterised by the dominating presence of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church (EOC), which does not recognise non-Orthodox believers as true Christians. Many of those who leave the EOC are depicted as enemies of the state and are subsequently stigmatised by others. This vulnerability could be exacerbated and exploited given the increasingly volatile environment believers face.

Because of the impact the warring is having on media coverage, the numbers of those affected are difficult to verify. However, sources suggest that at least 700 people have been treated for injuries, over 600 have been killed and around 150,000 individuals are displaced since the fighting began.

A tense calm

Unlike previous civil conflict in Ethiopia which has been largely concentrated in the north, the night of 1 October saw several explosions in Addis Ababa, the capital city. Perpetrators ignored bans on drone flights over the city, but the nature and the cause of the attacks have not yet been confirmed by government sources.

Whilst the renewed conflict is currently internal, the Ethiopian government has accused Eritrea of supporting the alliance of armed groups and has subsequently closed its embassy in Asmara, Eritrea’s capital. As a result, ten Eritrean diplomats have been ordered to leave the country within 48 hours. Eritrea has responded by denying any accusations and severing diplomatic ties.

Tense but calm – these are the descriptions of the atmosphere in Addis Ababa as fighting persists in northern regions, the numbers of those admitted to hospital increases and more families are forced to flee their homes. Amongst them, the church is bearing the fear and uncertainty of what may happen next, especially for those living in areas where law and order have collapsed and the consequences for those who would target believers are less significant.

In this time of loss and anxiety, please stand with our brothers and sisters in Ethiopia as they hold on to hope in the Lord. Thank you.