Ethiopian federal forces have entered Mekelle, the capital of the Tigray state, according to a humanitarian source. The development follows reports from residents that rebels from the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF) had abandoned the city. Fighting in the region erupted on September 23 when the TPLF launched incursions into neighbouring states, prompting fears that the country could return to the devastating civil war that lasted from 2020 to 2022.
In recent days, federal troops and pro-government militias have pushed back rebel advances and moved north toward the regional capital. A humanitarian source stated that federal forces were observed in various locations across Mekelle late Saturday. Earlier, a journalist reported that TPLF militants and leadership had departed the city, leaving police stations and government offices without security personnel. The journalist noted the difficulty in verifying information due to severe telecommunications disruptions in Tigray since the onset of hostilities.
Local residents expressed concern regarding the security vacuum. One resident stated, "I am concerned that government and public property could be exposed to looting because there are no security forces in the city." Another added, "Lawlessness could spread in the city, and I am also afraid for my life. I want us to quickly return to law and order." Neither the spokesperson for the Ethiopian National Defence Forces nor the office of Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed has responded to requests for comment.
Amid the ongoing unrest, a diplomatic source indicated that a mini-summit is scheduled for Sunday in Alamein, Egypt. The meeting, occurring on the sidelines of an African Business Forum, is expected to include the presidents of Egypt, Eritrea, and Somalia, as well as the head of the Sudanese Armed Forces, Abdel Fattah al-Burhane.
The TPLF, which previously ruled Ethiopia from 1991 to 2018, had ousted a government-appointed administration in Tigray earlier this year. In a video message released Thursday, TPLF leader Debretsion Gebremichael suggested the group would continue to utilize guerrilla-style tactics, similar to those employed when Mekelle fell to federal forces in 2020. "We operate under a strategy to strike the enemy wherever we choose," Debretsion stated, characterizing the conflict as a regional struggle to control the Red Sea.
The current conflict has strained Ethiopia’s international relations. On Thursday, Addis Ababa expelled 10 Eritrean diplomats and closed its embassy in Asmara, leading Eritrea to announce the severance of all diplomatic ties. Ethiopia has also expelled an Egyptian diplomat, a move that prompted a reciprocal response from Cairo. Ethiopia has accused both Egypt and Eritrea of supporting the Tigrayan rebels, a charge Eritrea denies, while accusing Ethiopia of planning an invasion to seize coastal access.
Government forces have launched a counter-offensive into Tigray along three axes. According to the Critical Threats Project of the American Enterprise Institute, pro-government militias reportedly took control of the Mekelle airport on Friday. While the TPLF had initially advanced into the Afar and Amhara states, humanitarian sources indicate they have been entirely pushed out of Afar. The 2020-2022 civil war, which ended with the 2022 Pretoria peace agreement, resulted in more than 600,000 deaths according to the African Union, though the agreement was never fully implemented.
