Ethiopian forces take Mekelle as Tigray conflict intensifies
Ethiopian federal forces and allied fighters have taken control of Mekelle after the Tigray People’s Liberation Front withdrew from the regional capital. The move has revived fears of a return to the devastating 2020-22 war, while worsening relations with Eritrea raise concerns that the conflict could spread.
Ethiopian federal forces and allied Tigray Peace Force fighters have taken control of Mekelle after the Tigray People’s Liberation Front withdrew from the regional capital, according to the TPLF, residents and sources cited by Reuters and Al Jazeera. The TPLF said it had temporarily moved out of the city and that its regional administration would operate from another location. A pro-government militia source, a humanitarian worker and a Mekelle resident confirmed that government-aligned forces were in control.
The development has raised fears that Ethiopia could return to the large-scale violence of the 2020-22 Tigray war. That conflict ended with the Pretoria agreement in November 2022, but disputes over territory, the return of displaced people and the disarmament of Tigrayan forces remained unresolved. The TPLF said in July that the peace agreement had effectively collapsed, accusing the federal government of failing to implement key provisions.
The government rejected that assessment and accused the TPLF of undermining the process. Military tensions subsequently grew, including reports of clashes and drone strikes. Residents described uncertainty after the TPLF withdrawal, including what one resident called a security vacuum and reports of theft from government offices.
Federal forces and allied fighters later took key locations, including the airport, according to the supplied material. The renewed fighting involves a broader opposition alliance than the earlier Tigray war and has spread into Afar. Ethiopia has accused Eritrea of supporting forces opposed to the federal government; Eritrea rejects the allegation.
Ethiopia recently closed its embassy in Asmara and expelled 10 Eritrean diplomats, while Eritrea announced that it was severing diplomatic relations. The diplomatic rupture has increased concerns about a wider regional conflict. The previous Tigray war killed hundreds of thousands of people, displaced millions and caused extensive damage to infrastructure and livelihoods, according to the supplied material.
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