Ethiopian government forces and allied militias have regained control of the capital of Tigray, three sources said on Sunday, dealing a major setback to the opposition alliance that rules the northern region.
The Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF), which leads the opposition alliance, said in a statement posted on Facebook it had retreated from the capital and that the regional government would be “temporarily moved out of Mekelle and operate from somewhere else”.
A source close to the pro-government militia, the Tigray Peace Forces, said its fighters entered the centre of Mekelle 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 controlled by government forces.
The prime minister’s office did not respond immediately to a request for comment.
Loss of Mekelle a major blow for TPLF
The taking of Mekelle by pro-government forces is a major loss for the opposition alliance led by the TPLF, which launched a big offensive on September 23 against the Ethiopian military.
Ethiopian federal forces and allied fighters have made a quick counterattack into Tigray, but analysts say the fighting — the worst escalation since a 2020-2022 civil war — threatens to escalate into a wider regional conflict.
The federal government in Addis Ababa severed diplomatic ties with Eritrea last week, accusing it of supporting the rebel alliance alongside Sudan and Egypt. The three countries deny this.
- Ethiopian government forces and allied militias regained control of Mekelle, the capital of Tigray.
- The Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF) announced they had retreated from Mekelle and would operate the regional government from another location temporarily.
- Fighters from the pro-government Tigray Peace Forces entered Mekelle on Saturday afternoon, followed by the Ethiopian military.
- The loss of Mekelle is a significant blow to the TPLF, which launched an offensive against Ethiopian military forces on September 23.
- The Ethiopian federal government severed diplomatic ties with Eritrea last week, accusing it of supporting the rebel alliance alongside Sudan and Egypt, which all three countries deny.
