The conflict monitor ACLED said heavy fighting between Tigrayan and federal forces at May Gaba and Tselimo, near the Tekeze river in Wolkayt in western Tigray, continued until about 14:00 local time on 25 September, with wounded taken to Suhul Shire Hospital. It also recorded clashes along the Tigray-Afar border and at Gazgibela, Gidan, Lasta and Raya Kobo in Amhara, new fighting around Yallo in Afar, suspended flights at Lalibela airport, and a drone strike at Hayelom Tabia in Sheraro near a centre for displaced people.

Ethiopia's Chief of General Staff, Field Marshal Birhanu Jula, accused Sudan and Egypt of funding and supplying the new armed alliance seeking to overthrow Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, in remarks to the Ethiopian army's media outlet reported on 27 September. "Neither Shaebia nor the TPLF can achieve anything alone — even if combined — unless pushed, supported, and supplied by Sudan, Egypt, and powers beyond," he said, using the name Shaebia for Eritrea's ruling party. "They shifted their strategy. They changed tactics to invest money and deploy intelligence assets to cause internal conflict," he added. He gave no evidence for the accusation, and Egypt and Sudan have not publicly responded.

Field Marshal Birhanu Jula, Ethiopia's Chief of General Staff, said the army is responding to what he called provocations on the Tigray front with "wisdom and restraint" — the military's first official comment since the fighting began. A TPLF central committee member, Abdisalam Balema, told Al Jazeera the situation is "full war", describing a full-scale federal offensive using infantry, mechanised units and drones.

The same Al Jazeera report said fighting has been reported in recent days around Abala in Afar, the North Wollo zone, Sama, Soqota, Raya Alamata and Alamata town. The Ethiopian army announced on Thursday that it had killed 272 Tigrayan fighters and wounded 260 in a counter-offensive in North Wollo. Abdisalam Balema, a TPLF central committee member, described the situation as a "full war". The figures have not been independently verified.

Ethiopian army Chief of Staff Field Marshal Berhanu Jula said the army is responding to "provocations from the Tigray front" with "wisdom and restraint", and accused Eritrea of funding and supporting armed groups in order to weaken Ethiopia, Al Jazeera reported on 27 September.

Fano fighters in Amhara say they captured more than 10 military trucks carrying ammunition, machine guns and mortar shells. Al Jazeera reports this as a claim by the group that has not been independently verified, and notes the fighting has intensified since seven armed groups formed an alliance seeking to overthrow Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed.

Al Jazeera reported on 26 September that overnight fighting hit the border town of Abala in northern Afar, as clashes spread from southern Tigray into Afar and Amhara. Some 750,000 people were already displaced inside Tigray before this escalation. The Ethiopian federal army says it killed more than 270 rebel fighters in Amhara, a claim that has not been independently verified.