Ethiopian Troops Battle Tigrayan Forces Near Abala as Telecom Blackout Hits Tigray

Ethiopian federal forces fought Tigrayan forces overnight into September 25 around Abala, a mountain town in Afar on the Tigray border, and kept them from entering the town, a humanitarian source in Afar said; a foreign security source had earlier said Tigrayan forces had taken Abala. Internet monitor NetBlocks confirmed a subnational internet disruption in northern Ethiopia matching reports of a telecoms blackout in Tigray. Ethio Telecom phone and internet service across Tigray was cut from about 10:21 p.m. local time on September 24. The clashes follow the Tigray People’s Liberation Front’s seizure of the Mekelle, Axum and Shire airports on September 23.