Compiled By: Malami Haruna Dogon daji
ABUJA, NIGERIA – 25 September 2026
MEKELLE — Residents in Ethiopia’s Tigray region were panic-buying food and withdrawing cash on Thursday as renewed fighting between Tigrayan forces and the federal government raised fears of a return to the devastating 2020–2022 civil war and a renewed siege. In the regional capital Mekelle and the border town of Adigrat, people described emptying shops, sharp price rises, and deep anxiety that banks, telecoms, and basic supplies could be cut off again, as they were during the previous conflict that killed an estimated 600,000 people.
Human Stories Amid the Panic
The sudden escalation has left ordinary citizens scrambling for essentials. Samuel Gebreslassie, a 37-year-old spice-shop worker in Mekelle, told reporters that community members are buying food in large quantities due to widespread panic over potential supply cuts.
“A lot of people have been buying food… There is panic in the community, and prices have also risen.” — Samuel Gebreslassie, Mekelle Resident
In Adigrat, near the Eritrean border, residents reported that market shelves sit empty while essential medicines remain scarce and astronomically expensive. Others, like 50-year-old Kaleta Gebru, lamented the severe toll on vulnerable populations, describing the current climate as dark times marked by looming hunger.
Surging Prices and Economic Strain
The economic shock of the renewed hostilities has hit household budgets instantly. In Mekelle, residents reported that fuel prices surged from 400 birr ($2.45) to 650 birr ($4) per litre almost overnight.
- Staples: Sharp price increases for flour and cooking oil have been reported across local markets.
- Banking and Cash: Citizens are rushing to ATMs and banks to withdraw physical cash, driven by the fear of looming banking closures and telecom blackouts.
- Medicines: Critical supplies in northern towns are severely depleted and priced far beyond the reach of average families.
Context Box: Conflict Background & Humanitarian Impact
- Trigger Events: The crisis deepened after Tigrayan forces seized three local airports (Mekelle, Axum, and Shire) and launched incursions into neighbouring Afar and Amhara, prompting the TPLF to declare a “full-blown war”.
- Federal Response: The Ethiopian military claimed to have foiled the rebel attacks, reporting that over 500 enemy fighters were killed, wounded, or captured, though specific casualty numbers could not be independently verified.
- Humanitarian Vulnerability: Years of previous conflict and a restricted flow of subsidies and fuel have left northern Ethiopia highly fragile, raising urgent concerns from the UN and EU regarding a potential humanitarian catastrophe compounded by ongoing drought.
The Social Call-to-Action (CTA)
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