Residents of Alamata, a contested city on the Tigray-Amhara border, report a growing military presence that has revived fears of renewed conflict. Tigray People’s Liberation Front forces took control of the city in January following the withdrawal of Ethiopian federal troops. Both sides clashed recently, with Tigray’s regional government alleging that Ethiopian federal forces, reportedly backed by Sudan’s paramilitary forces, launched an offensive against Tigrayan forces. While the Ethiopian government hasn’t responded to the claims, a federal minister has acknowledged that clashes took place, while blaming Tigray’s forces for initiating them. The 2020-2022 war between Ethiopia and Tigray killed an estimated 600,000 people and displaced millions. Renewed clashes could trigger another displacement crisis, disrupt trade routes, and further strain humanitarian agencies already stretched by conflicts in Sudan and Somalia. The buildup shows how fragile the peace remains without political settlement and independent scrutiny.