A destroyed tank on the main street of Edaga Hamus, in the Tigray region in 2021 (Yan Boechat/VOA) On September 23rd, 2026, the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) launched an offensive against multiple targets under control of the Ethiopian government, while fighting broke out in the neighboring regions of Amhara and Afar as well. Tigrayan officials label it as a defensive action, but there are fears that this could lead to a further escalation in a region that has alrea