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From football fields to battlefronts: Abeba's story
A 22-year-old former Tigrayan soldier, Abeba Amdu, once dreamed of a career in football and technology before war upended her life. Now, she fears history may repeat itself in Ethiopia's northern region.
Abeba joined the Tigray Defence Forces (TDF) in 2020, driven by a mix of familial duty and dread of sexual violence. Her parents, veterans of the 1991 conflict that brought the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF) to power, had instilled in her a sense of patriotism. But the war left her traumatized, erasing years of progress as a striker for the 70 Enderta women's football team and an IT student in Mekelle.
"I lost everything. Both my body and my mind are traumatised."
Abeba Amdu, former TDF fighter
Before the war, she had challenged gender norms in sport and academia. The pandemic paused her studies, and the conflict shattered her ambitions. Today, she struggles with isolation, describing her father's unhealed wounds as a mirror of her own.
The war's invisible scars
Abeba's return to civilian life was fraught with grief. She quit jobs, argued with loved ones, and grappled with post-traumatic stress. A brief stint as a journalist and a mentorship project for young female footballers offered temporary refuge, but financial hurdles halted the initiative.
"I'm doing all this to find a hiding place," she admits, her voice heavy with exhaustion.
Echoes of fear: Selam and Rahwa's experiences
Selam Hailu, a 30-year-old lawyer and mother of two, enlisted in 2021 after witnessing her parents' suffering. The war's brutality-sexual violence, mass killings-compelled her to fight, despite the hardships of military life. Sexism within the ranks compounded her struggles; she was detained for speaking out against coercive relationships between officers and female fighters.
"No one needs peace more than we do-we simply cannot afford another sacrifice."
Selam Hailu, former TDF combatant
Rahwa Gebremedhin, a 30-year-old university lecturer, joined the TDF after witnessing atrocities against women. The transition back to teaching has been difficult; she describes symptoms of PTSD and emotional numbness. "I'm just trying to survive," she says.
Tensions flare as war fears resurface
Recent clashes between federal troops and Tigrayan forces, along with drone strikes and suspended flights, have reignited fears of renewed conflict. The federal government accuses Eritrea of backing Tigrayan forces-a claim Asmara denies-while the TPLF alleges troop deployments near Tigray's borders. Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed has accused the TPLF of diverting state funds to sustain its forces.
Abeba, Selam, and Rahwa all express dread at the prospect of another war. "I don't believe war is necessary," Abeba says. "It is negotiation-not combat-that provides the solution."
Yet, as young people flee Mekelle and families hoard supplies, the specter of conflict looms large. For these women, the cost of war is not just physical-it is a wound that time has yet to heal.
