Ethiopia's Tigray rebels abandon regional capital Mekelle as government forces enter city

Ethiopian federal forces entered Mekelle, the capital of the northern Tigray region, on Saturday and seized its airport, witnesses reported, marking a reversal of the Tigray People’s Liberation Front’s (TPLF) earlier takeover that had halted commercial flights the previous month. The advance follows a federal counter‑offensive launched after the TPLF launched attacks on neighboring states on September 23, prompting fears of a renewed civil war. A journalist in Mekelle said TPLF militants and leaders were leaving the city, leaving government offices and police stations unmanned, while local residents expressed concern that the absence of security could lead to looting and lawlessness.

The federal push into Mekelle comes after weeks of fighting that saw the TPLF briefly regain control of the city in mid‑2021 and earlier this year oust a government‑appointed administration in Tigray. The conflict has strained Ethiopia’s relations with neighboring Eritrea and Egypt, both accused by Addis Ababa of supporting the rebels; Ethiopia expelled ten Eritrean diplomats and an Egyptian diplomat, prompting reciprocal expulsions. TPLF leader Debretsion Gebremichael, in a video message, pledged to continue guerrilla attacks and framed the war as a regional struggle for control of the Red Sea, underscoring the broader geopolitical stakes.

Despite the federal forces’ entry, verification remains difficult due to severe telecommunications blackouts and restricted media access in the region. Neither the Ethiopian National Defense Forces nor Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s office responded to requests for comment. Analysts at the Critical Threats Project, part of the American Enterprise Institute, noted that the government’s three‑axis advance forced the rebels back from advances in Afar and Amhara states. The situation leaves Mekelle’s civilian population vulnerable and raises questions about the next phase of the conflict, the potential for further regional involvement, and the prospects for a durable peace after the 2020‑2022 civil war that claimed over 600,000 lives.

⚡ Effects Interpreter