Ethiopian forces take control of Mekelle as regional leaders prepare talks

Ethiopian federal forces were in control of Mekelle, the capital of Tigray region, on Sunday after a counter-offensive pushed them into territory held by the Tigray People’s Liberation Front, according to a local journalist cited by AFP. The TPLF launched attacks against federal forces on September 23, raising fears that the conflict could return to the scale of the devastating 2020-2022 civil war. Federal troops entered Mekelle on Saturday without facing resistance after TPLF leaders and fighters abandoned the city.

Troops were patrolling the city and occupying key institutions on Sunday, while communications were restored after being cut for more than a week. A commander from a pro-government militia told AFP that federal forces had taken control and were advancing. Businesses and shops remained closed.

One resident said shop owners had moved goods to safer locations because of fears of looting and vandalism. The resident also said there were no police and that people had organised their own security. The latest fighting has heightened regional tensions.

Ethiopia has accused Eritrea of supporting the TPLF, with assistance from Sudan and Egypt. All three countries deny the accusation. Eritrea, which borders Tigray, says Ethiopia is planning to invade and seize access to its coastline.

Presidents from Egypt, Eritrea and Somalia, together with Sudanese Armed Forces leader Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, were due to meet in Alamein, Egypt, on the sidelines of an African Business Forum. The meeting was expected to focus on the Ethiopian conflict and the risk of a broader war. TPLF leader Debretsion Gebremichael has suggested that the group could continue guerrilla-style attacks.

The TPLF previously lost Mekelle to federal forces in 2020 but retook it the following year. A 2022 peace agreement helped contain the earlier conflict, although the supplied report says it was never fully implemented.