Growing fears of a return to civil war are gripping Ethiopia following a renewed offensive by fighters from the Tigray region into neighboring Afar and Amhara states. The escalation comes after the formation of a new rebel alliance explicitly aimed at overthrowing Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed's government.

This latest surge in violence raises significant concerns given the devastating civil war that raged between 2020 and 2022, claiming an estimated 600,000 lives. That conflict pitted the Ethiopian army against the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF), the political party and paramilitary group now at the forefront of the current offensive. Both sides are trading blame for reigniting open hostilities.

On Sunday, seven armed groups from across Ethiopia, including the TPLF, announced the formation of the Ethiopian Peoples’ Forces Alliance for Survival. This coalition has stated its objective is to depose the government in the capital, Addis Ababa. In a significant development on Wednesday, TPLF fighters reportedly seized control of three airports previously held by federal police.

In response to the escalating conflict, the state-owned carrier Ethiopian Airlines announced it had suspended flights to the affected region, citing "the current situation." The TPLF's offensive has extended beyond airport control, with attacks launched into both Afar and Amhara. A humanitarian source in Afar reported heavy artillery exchanges on Thursday as rebels attempted to capture the town of Yallo, situated near the Tigrayan border.

Further evidence of the conflict's impact emerged with the suspension of flights to the historic town of Lalibela on Thursday due to nearby fighting. Residents in Tigray are reportedly stocking up on food and cash, with one individual telling Reuters that fears of a siege, similar to conditions experienced during the previous war, are prevalent. A resident of Adigrat, a city close to the Eritrean border, described scenes of panic-buying and emptying shop shelves.

"Food shortages are worsening as market shelves sit empty," the Adigrat resident told Reuters. "Essential medicines remain scarce and astronomically expensive. Daily survival has become a constant calculation."

The renewed fighting and the formation of a broader rebel alliance signal a potentially destabilizing new phase in Ethiopia's internal conflicts. The international community will be closely monitoring the situation for further humanitarian consequences and diplomatic efforts to de-escalate the violence.

Unresolved questions remain about the full extent of the rebel coalition's capabilities and the Ethiopian government's response. The potential for widespread displacement and a worsening humanitarian crisis looms large, given the recent history of conflict in the region.