Young men in Ethiopia’s northern Tigray region say they are leaving because they fear being forcibly recruited to fight as political and military tensions rise, according to Al Jazeera; Human Rights Watch reported in July 2026 that Tigrayan authorities and forces had forcibly recruited civilians, including children as young as 15, since at least April 2026; the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) disputes the allegations, saying young people are joining voluntarily, the outlet reports.