The key facts

  • The TPLF claims 500 killed and 800 wounded federal soldiers in the battle near Axum on 1 November
  • The Ethiopian government has not commented on the figures; independent verification is impossible
  • In early October, government forces took Mekelle, but the rebels continue counterattacks

Rebel claim of casualties near Axum

The TPLF-led (Tigray People's Liberation Front) insurgency said on Monday that its fighters killed 500 soldiers and wounded 800 more in clashes with federal forces and allied militias in the northern region of Tigray, Anadolu reports. According to Dimtsi Weyane, a television channel affiliated with the group, the casualties occurred in the Daero Hafash and May Tmket districts of the Naeder woreda, and among the dead were two regimental commanders.

Course of the battle and accompanying claims

The rebels say the battle took place on Saturday near the historic city of Axum, where they launched a counteroffensive against Ethiopian troops and fighters of the allied 'Tigray Peace Front' (TPF). The television channel reported that government forces had advanced from Axum and Mahbere Dego before meeting resistance. The TPLF also claimed the capture of territory and spoils — weapons, ammunition, food and medical supplies — and accused federal forces of using artillery and drones; according to it, telephone and internet communications in the area have been cut off.

Verification and context

The Ethiopian government has not commented on the casualty figures, and they cannot be independently verified — a fundamental limitation: the only source of casualty data is the warring party itself. The statement follows weeks of fighting between federal forces and TPLF fighters that has raised fears of a renewed large-scale conflict in northern Ethiopia. In early October, government troops and their allies captured several towns, including the regional capital Mekelle, but the rebels continue counterattacks.

Regional tensions

The escalation has also heightened tensions between Ethiopia and neighbouring Eritrea: Addis Ababa accuses it of supporting armed groups in Tigray, while Asmara rejects these accusations. Sudan, for its part, accused Ethiopia of carrying out 70 drone strikes from its territory between February and October, killing or wounding hundreds of civilians and military personnel, and of supporting the paramilitary RSF group, which has been fighting the Sudanese army since 2023. The escalation threatens to deepen instability in a region devastated by the 2020–2022 Tigray war, which displaced millions of people and caused a large-scale humanitarian crisis.