ADDIS ABABA – Significant mobilizations of the rival Ethiopian National Defence Force (ENDF), Tigray Defense Forces (TDF), and Eritrean Defense Forces (EDF) took place in northern Ethiopia throughout February and early March 2026, drawing the region closer to outright war. Tensions in the region increased following a TDF attempt to reclaim the disputed Tselemt area in late January. By early February, several ENDF tanks and trucks carrying heavy weaponry were observed heading toward Western Tigray. Around 11 February, TDF troops deployed in several towns including Dedebit, Tselimoy, Adi Hageray, Adi Dairo, Sheraro, and Shire in the North-Western Tigray zone. Simultaneously, Eritrean troops have been observed deploying in Sheraro and Shire. On February 7, the Ethiopian government formally requested that Eritrea withdraw its troops from its territory and cease support for rebel groups. The Eritrean foreign minister has dismissed these accusations as 'false and fabricated.' The situation is further complicated by Fano militias, some of which have reportedly aligned with the TPLF, engaging in clashes with government forces in the Amhara region. These events have brought the peace process to its most acute point of strain since the Pretoria Agreement in 2022. International monitors warn that the concentration of heavy weaponry and opposing forces in such close proximity marks the most dangerous point of strain in the region in years.