Ethiopian federal forces and allied fighters have taken control of Mekelle after the Tigray People’s Liberation Front withdrew, intensifying fears that renewed fighting could grow into a wider regional war.
The TPLF said on Saturday that it had temporarily moved its regional administration out of the capital and would operate from another location. Government troops and the pro-government Tigray Peace Forces then entered Mekelle, according to residents, humanitarian workers and militia-linked sources. The federal side had earlier recaptured Alula Aba Nega Airport, a strategically important facility that Tigrayan forces seized when the latest offensive began on September 23.
Residents reported closed businesses, disrupted services and uncertainty about security as federal forces took over public institutions. The renewed clashes are the most serious escalation since the 2020–22 Tigray war, which killed hundreds of thousands of people, displaced millions and devastated the region. A 2022 peace agreement halted that conflict but left disputes over territory, displaced populations and disarmament unresolved.
Ethiopia has accused Eritrea, Sudan and Egypt of supporting its opponents, allegations the three countries deny, while their leaders met in Egypt and called for peaceful resolution of regional disputes. Mekelle’s capture is therefore a major military setback for the TPLF, but it does not appear to have ended the conflict or removed the risk of further displacement and cross-border escalation.