Ethiopian Troops Capture Tigray Capital Mekelle as Rebels Retreat

Ethiopian government troops have taken control of Mekelle, the capital city in northern Tigray, as opposition forces pulled back. Federal soldiers and allied fighters entered the area after seizing the main regional airport on Saturday. The Tigray People's Liberation Front announced late that evening via social media that it had temporarily moved out to operate from another location.

A source close to the pro-government Tigray Peace Forces told Reuters its militia units reached the city center on Saturday afternoon, with the Ethiopian military following closely behind. Humanitarian workers and a resident who wished anonymity confirmed the city now sits under federal authority. AFP received word from ground staff that Ethiopian forces were observed across various spots in Mekelle while the rebels abandoned their positions.

Hostilities erupted on September 23 when seven armed groups formed an alliance to topple Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed and set up a transitional government. This fresh round of fighting follows the collapse of a peace agreement signed in 2022 that ended the devastating conflict between federal troops and Tigrayan forces. That earlier war displaced millions, killed hundreds of thousands, and largely isolated the region from global contact.

Fears are growing that this violence could spread beyond Ethiopia's borders and drag neighboring countries into the fray. Addis Ababa has accused Eritrea, Sudan, and Egypt of supporting the opposition coalition. Authorities in Khartoum and Cairo denied any involvement, while Eritrea cut diplomatic ties with Ethiopia after accusations surfaced that it backed rebels who fought alongside the federal army during 2020-2022.

The United States urged both nations on Saturday to respect neighbor sovereignty, exercise restraint, and return to dialogue. The US Department of State warned rising tensions could affect the entire region. Eritrea previously severed diplomatic relations over these same accusations regarding its support for rebel groups during the earlier war.

The TPLF started as an armed movement against Ethiopia's military government in the 1970s before becoming the dominant force in a coalition that ruled until Abiy took office in 2018. Relations between Addis Ababa and the group soured over time, leading to the November 2020 war. That conflict forced millions from their homes and largely cut off Tigray from the rest of the world.