Tigray Residents Panic-Buy Amid Fears of Renewed Conflict

On September 25, 2026, residents in Ethiopia's Tigray region experienced panic-buying and cash withdrawals as renewed fighting between Tigrayan forces and the federal government raised fears of a return to the civil war that occurred from 2020 to 2022. In Mekelle, the regional capital, and Adigrat, a border town, citizens reported empty shops and significant price increases.

Samuel Gebreslassie, a 37-year-old spice-shop worker in Mekelle, noted that community members were purchasing food in large quantities due to widespread panic over potential supply cuts. In Adigrat, residents faced empty market shelves and a scarcity of essential medicines, which had become extremely expensive.

Kaleta Gebru, a 50-year-old local, expressed concern for vulnerable populations, describing the situation as dark times marked by looming hunger. Fuel prices in Mekelle surged from 400 birr ($2.45) to 650 birr ($4) per litre almost overnight, indicating an immediate economic shock from the renewed hostilities.