Addis Ababa / Mekelle – Ethiopian federal troops, working alongside fighters from the pro-government Tigray Peace Force, have taken back control of Mekelle, the main city in the northern Tigray region, following the withdrawal of the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF).
On Saturday the TPLF announced it had “temporarily moved out of Mekelle,” explaining that its regional administration would shift operations to a different site. The movement said the step was taken to avoid additional damage to the city. Later that afternoon, government-aligned units moved into the heart of Mekelle after first securing the principal airport, Alula Aba Nega. The reports came from several independent accounts, among them a source close to a pro-government militia, a humanitarian worker, and a local resident who spoke with Reuters.
By Sunday federal soldiers were said to be circulating through the streets and occupying major public buildings. Phone and internet services, cut for over a week, had begun to return in limited form. Shops stayed shuttered as people worried about disorder and theft, and those living in the city spoke of an uneasy, subdued mood.
The loss of the regional capital deals a serious blow to the opposition coalition headed by the TPLF. Hostilities restarted on 23 September once a group of armed and political organisations joined forces with the aim of confronting Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s administration. Earlier, TPLF units had captured important sites, including several airports. Government troops and their partners answered with a swift counter-push, advancing through Tigray, seizing strategic towns and finally reaching the capital.
One commander from a pro-government militia told AFP: “We have taken control of Mekelle and we are marching forward.” TPLF chairman Debretsion Gebremichael has suggested the organisation could keep up its struggle by mounting guerrilla actions from locations outside the city.
The latest fighting represents the sharpest upsurge since the destructive 2020–2022 Tigray conflict, which concluded with a 2022 peace deal. Observers and local people have voiced concern that the violence could drag on, producing more displacement and economic strain. Ethiopia has charged Eritrea, Sudan and Egypt with backing the rebel side claims all three states reject. In the midst of the growing strain, Addis Ababa has cut diplomatic relations with Eritrea.
Regional adversaries were said to be meeting in Egypt to weigh the danger of the crisis spreading, while conditions on the ground continue to shift.
Source : Reuters
