Move revives tensions tied to 2020 vote that helped trigger Ethiopia’s devastating war.

The Tigray People's Liberation Front announced the restoration of a regional parliament whose disputed 2020 election helped spark the Tigray war, alarming observers who fear a return to conflict between federal and regional forces.

The war, fought from 2020 to 2022, killed at least 600,000 people and involved Ethiopian federal troops, allied militias, and Eritrean forces battling TPLF fighters.

Since the Pretoria Peace Agreement, Tigray has been run by an interim administration, with Addis Ababa extending its mandate in April despite criticism from the TPLF.

Once the dominant force in Ethiopian politics for decades, the TPLF is no longer a legally registered party under Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed.

In a statement, the group said it had decided to reinstate the Tigray Government Assembly, which it described as representing the will of the 2.8 million people who voted in 2020, a vote not recognised by federal authorities.

Ethiopian officials did not immediately comment, but analysts warned the move could undermine the fragile peace. One regional expert said it signaled a possible breakdown of the interim administration.

A senior TPLF official said the decision was driven by what the group sees as federal violations of the peace agreement and a lack of consultation.

The TPLF also called for stronger ties with neighbouring communities and said it was open to dialogue with Amhara, Afar, Sudanese and Eritrean actors.

Federal authorities have accused the TPLF of drawing closer to Eritrea, a claim the group denies, while Eritrea has in turn accused Ethiopia of eyeing its Assab port.

CBI News reports that the tensions come months after federal troops massed near Tigray’s borders, with some forces reportedly withdrawing, though Tigrayan troops remain largely in position.