The diplomatic air between Addis Ababa and Mekelle thickened this week as the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) issued a stinging rebuttal to allegations made by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA), marking a fresh low in the fragile post-Cessation of Hostilities Agreement (CoHA) climate.

The exchange was ignited on Tuesday, May 5, when the Ministry of Foreign Affairs released a blistering press statement. The federal government officially rejected what it termed "baseless accusations" from the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) leadership, who had recently alleged Ethiopian interference in Sudan’s grueling civil war. However, the Ministry’s statement went a step further, pivoting the blame toward Mekelle.

Federal authorities claimed to have "ample and credible evidence" that the SAF is hosting and supporting "TPLF mercenaries." According to the Ministry, these fighters have been facilitated by Sudanese forces to conduct incursions along Ethiopia’s western frontier.

"Sudan is serving as a hub for various anti-Ethiopian forces," the Ministry’s statement read, further alleging that the diplomatic friction is being choreographed by "external patrons" seeking to destabilize the Horn of Africa.

The response from the north was swift and uncompromising.

In a statement dated May 6, 2026, the Office of the TPLF "categorically rejected" the allegations, labeling them "unfounded, irresponsible, and indicative of a recurring pattern of deflection through disinformation."

The TPLF’s counter-statement framed the federal government’s claims as a cynical distortion of history. It reminded the public of the humanitarian refuge Sudan provided to Tigrayan civilians during the two-year war in Northern Ethiopia—a debt of gratitude Mekelle appears unwilling to let the federal government weaponize.

"At a moment when the region demands restraint, such claims serve only to inflame tensions and obscure the urgent need for accountability," the TPLF stated.

Political analysts in Addis Ababa view this public spat as a worrying sign of the widening rift regarding the implementation of the Pretoria Agreement. Central to the TPLF’s grievance is the "full and faithful implementation" of the CoHA, particularly the return of displaced populations to Western Tigray—an area currently under the administration of Amhara forces and a focal point of the "western frontier" mentioned in the federal statement.

The TPLF warned that "escalatory rhetoric" and "opportunistic alignments" threaten to drag the country back into instability, arguing that the federal government's claims risk entrenching Ethiopia in regional conflicts that do not serve the interests of its people.

Despite the harsh rhetoric, both sides maintained a formal commitment to peace in their closing remarks. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs underscored the need for a "civilian-led dialogue" in Sudan, while the TPLF reiterated its readiness for "results-oriented dialogue without preconditions."

However, for the residents of the border regions and the millions still displaced, the war of words between the Ministry’s headquarters on Menelik II Avenue and the TPLF’s office in Mekelle offers little comfort, serving instead as a stark reminder that while the guns may be silent, the political battle lines remain deeply etched.

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