Brief
Amnesty urges African Union to hold emergency session as Ethiopia conflict spreads
Amnesty says the new clashes risk regionalisation and may breach international humanitarian law.
By Felo News Desk · Published
Amnesty International said on 2 October that the African Union must convene an emergency session on the escalating conflict in northern Ethiopia, which erupted on 21 September in Tigray and has since spread to parts of Afar and Amhara.
The organisation reports credible evidence of civilian infrastructure being destroyed by shelling and air strikes, intensified forced conscription and other actions that could violate international humanitarian and human‑rights law. It adds that fighting between Tigrayan forces and their allies – including Amhara Fano – on one side and the Ethiopian National Defence Force (ENDF) and its allies on the other has intensified across southern Tigray, northern Amhara and western Afar since the renewed hostilities began a week ago.
“The African Union’s Peace and Security Council cannot wait for mass atrocities to unfold or for a surge in civilian casualties before placing Ethiopia, its host country, on the agenda,” said Tigere Chagutah, Amnesty’s Regional Director for East and Southern Africa. “The starting point is for the Peace and Security Council to urgently convene an emergency session on the situation in Ethiopia. This is especially critical as fears of regionalisation of the conflict are on the rise,” the statement added.
Amnesty notes that the AU was a guarantor of the cease‑fire agreement that has now effectively collapsed, and urges the body to learn from past mistakes, activate response mechanisms and mobilise member states before the situation deteriorates further.
The new wave of violence follows a series of developments reported by Felo News, including the Addis Ababa explosions on 1 October, a telecom blackout in northern Ethiopia on 25 September, and warnings of a potential wider war as the conflict resurfaces across the three regions.
Key facts
- Amnesty International called for an African Union emergency session on Ethiopia on 2 October 2026. (amnesty.org)
- The renewed fighting began on 21 September 2026 in Tigray and has spread to Afar and Amhara. (amnesty.org)
- Amnesty cites credible reports of civilian object destruction, forced conscription and possible violations of humanitarian law. (amnesty.org)
- Tigere Chagutah, Amnesty’s Regional Director for East and Southern Africa, made the statement. (amnesty.org)
- The African Union was a guarantor of the cease‑fire agreement that has now collapsed. (amnesty.org)
Sources
- [1] amnesty.org — originally reported as “African Union must convene emergency session on Ethiopia as new conflict expands.”
