The Afar homeland, which encompasses the critical Addis Ababa to Djibouti trade corridor, has transformed into a volatile proxy battlefield. More than 95 percent of Ethiopia’s trade volume moves through this territory, making the region a strategic flashpoint for various armed movements. Residents currently face systemic displacement, restricted emergency aid, and severed communications as fighting encroaches on their communities.

Sultan Alimirah highlighted the human cost of this instability, citing the lingering trauma of a 2025 drone strike in the village of Siyaru. That incident, which occurred near the Ethiopia-Djibouti border, resulted in the deaths of civilians—including women and children—who were misidentified as insurgents from the Front for the Restoration of Unity and Democracy. The Sultanate is now seeking formal talks with the United Nations and the African Union to prioritize dialogue over military engagement, emphasizing that the path to stability requires genuine respect for Ethiopian sovereignty rather than continued armed escalation.