Ethiopian federal forces have entered the capital of the Tigray region following reports that local rebels had vacated the city. The violence escalated on September 23 when the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) launched attacks into adjacent areas, stoking fears of a return to the brutal civil war that raged from 2020 to 2022.
Recent days have seen government and allied troops pushing back the TPLF, advancing towards Mekelle, the Tigrayan capital. “Ethiopian federal and allied forces have been seen in various locations across Mekelle,” a humanitarian source told AFP on Saturday.
A journalist in Mekelle reported that TPLF leaders and militants were leaving the area, leaving government buildings and police stations unguarded. With telecommunications largely down, verification of this information remains challenging.
Local residents expressed concerns over potential lawlessness in the absence of security forces. “Government and public property could be vulnerable to looting, and I fear for my safety. We need a swift return to order,” said one resident.
As tensions rise, a mini-summit involving the leaders of Egypt, Eritrea, Somalia, and Sudan is set for Sunday in Alamein, Egypt, coinciding with an African Business Forum.
The TPLF has been the dominant force in Tigray but was ousted from power earlier this year. In a recent video, TPLF leader Debretsion Gebremichael suggested that attacks would continue. “We operate under a strategy to strike the enemy wherever we choose,” he stated.
The conflict has also strained Ethiopia’s relations with Eritrea and Egypt, both accused of supporting the TPLF. Ethiopia expelled ten Eritrean diplomats on Thursday, triggering a reciprocal move from Eritrea.
The TPLF initially made gains in neighbouring Afar and Amhara, but government forces have mounted a counter-offensive. Reports indicate that Mekelle’s airport has fallen into the hands of pro-government militia. However, communications blackouts and media restrictions complicate the verification of these accounts.
The TPLF ruled Ethiopia from 1991 until 2018 when Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed came to power, leading to a civil war that claimed over 600,000 lives according to the African Union. A peace agreement brokered in 2022 stabilised the situation temporarily, but tensions resurfaced after it was not fully enforced.
