A humanitarian root successful Afar told AFP quality bureau connected Thursday that Tigrayan forces had launched dense artillery attacks arsenic they attempted to instrumentality power of the municipality of Yallo, adjacent the borderline with Tigray.
"We are successful the concern of full-blown warfare now," TPLF vice-president Amanuel Assefa is quoted by the quality bureau arsenic saying.
The latest escalation follows months of rising tensions betwixt Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed's authorities and Tigray authorities, who fought a devastating warfare from 2020 to 2022.
That ended successful an African Union-brokered bid woody but implicit caller months some sides person been accusing each different of violating the agreement.
It was 1 of the astir deadly conflicts this period - the AU's mediator estimated immoderate 600,000 radical died arsenic the warring drove the portion to the precipice of famine.
On Sunday, the TPLF announced an confederation with six different equipped groups to oust the governemnt.
Following the seizure of the airports, Ethiopian Airlines has cancelled each flights to Tigray.
Residents of Tigray's main metropolis of Mekelle told the BBC that section forces had taken implicit power of the city's airdrome from the nationalist constabulary aboriginal connected Wednesday.
This followed reports of drone strikes successful Tigray successful caller days.
A Mekelle nonmigratory told the BBC's Newsday programme connected Thursday determination had been nary clashes successful the city, dissimilar successful the erstwhile war, with astir warring happening elsewhere.
"Mekelle is calm, but the accent from the people," said the resident, lone identified arsenic Fitsum for his safety. He added that the biggest occupation was economic, with radical not having capable cash.
"People are successful a temper wherever they are distressed due to the fact that it's been truthful difficult, truthful tough. The past 7 oregon 8 months the authorities has been denying budgets to the civilian servants and each the banks were moving retired of cash."
Fitsum said radical had been relying connected mobile banking but with the hazard of communications being chopped off, "people are going to beryllium successful sedate information due to the fact that determination is astir nary cash".
With the outbreak of war, radical were limiting their movements and the metropolis was each quiescent - "it's similar a curfew has been placed," helium told the BBC.
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