Clashes erupt near Sheraro in western Tigray, threatening 2022 Pretoria peace deal

Clashes erupted on the outskirts of Sheraro, a border town in Ethiopia’s Tigray region, on Monday, marking what officials describe as one of the most serious violations of the 2022 Pretoria peace agreement between Ethiopia and Eritrea. The fighting, reported by local authorities and confirmed by the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, involved armed units from the Ethiopian federal forces and Eritrean troops, with additional involvement from regional militia groups. Initial estimates indicate dozens of combatants were injured and several civilian structures were damaged, prompting the temporary suspension of humanitarian convoys in the area.

The Pretoria deal, brokered by South Africa in November 2022, was intended to end years of border hostilities and to stabilize the volatile Horn of Africa region. International observers have warned that renewed violence near Sheraro threatens to unravel the fragile détente, potentially reigniting broader conflict along the Ethiopia‑Eritrea frontier. Both governments have issued statements urging restraint and have called for an urgent diplomatic dialogue, while the African Union and the United Nations have pledged to monitor the situation closely and to facilitate negotiations aimed at preserving the peace accord.