Ethiopia forces seize Tigray capital from rebels

The group leading an armed Ethiopian opposition alliance says it has withdrawn from Mekelle, the capital of the northern region of Tigray, after an advance by government forces and allied fighters.

In a statement on social media late on Saturday, the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) said it had “temporarily moved out of Mekelle” to “operate from somewhere else”.

The announcement came hours after Ethiopia’s federal army and pro-government fighters recaptured Mekelle’s main airport.

A source close to the Tigray Peace Forces, a pro-government militia, told the Reuters news agency its fighters had entered Mekelle’s centre on Saturday afternoon, followed by the Ethiopian military.

A humanitarian source and a Mekelle resident who asked not to be named confirmed the city was under the control of government forces, Reuters reported on Sunday.

Separately, a humanitarian source also told the AFP news agency that staff on the ground said the TPLF had abandoned the regional capital.

“Ethiopian federal forces and allied forces have reportedly been observed in Mekelle city … across various locations,” the source said.

Fighting broke out on September 23 after seven armed and political groups announced an alliance aimed at removing Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s government and establishing an inclusive transitional administration.

The return of the hostilities followed the collapse of a 2022 peace deal that ended a devastating war between the federal government and forces from Tigray.