The unrest follows the collapse of a 2022 peace agreement and the formation of the Alliance for Survival, a seven-group rebel coalition including the TPLF, Fano, and the Oromo Liberation Army seeking to oust Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed. The federal government is backed by the UAE with drone technology and funding, while the rebel alliance is supported by Eritrea, Sudan, and Egypt. Tensions have been heightened by Ethiopia's efforts to secure direct access to the Red Sea, which Eritrean officials view as a threat to their sovereignty.
