Mekelle Changes Hands After Tigray Fighters Withdraw
Government-allied fighters entered Mekelle, the capital of Ethiopia’s Tigray region, on Sunday after the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) said it had withdrawn from the city. The Associated Press reported that a witness saw allied fighters enter after the TPLF announced its pullback. The group said it wanted to spare Mekelle from destruction as fighting intensified.
The entry followed the reported recapture of Alula Aba Nega Airport, which Tigrayan forces seized on September 23. AP reported that flights to Mekelle, Axum and Shire had been suspended; Reuters said several sources confirmed federal troops had retaken the airport. The rapid shift from airport to city changes the military picture, but the available reporting does not establish that fighting has ended.
A withdrawal does not settle who controls Tigray
The TPLF’s retreat recalls an earlier phase of the 2020–2022 war, when its forces left Mekelle and later returned. On Sunday, AP described government-allied fighters entering the city as TPLF forces withdrew; residents also reported looting as fighters left. Those accounts show a change in who is present, but not a durable political settlement or reliable security for residents.
The airport seizure had already cut commercial air links to the region. Renewed fighting and disrupted communications make it harder for residents to travel, reach services or verify what is happening beyond their neighborhoods. For civilians, a change of flag over a building does not restore those connections.
The Pretoria Agreement ended the previous war in November 2022, but its implementation has remained fragile. Reuters reported on Sunday that government forces and allied militias had retaken Mekelle after the TPLF acknowledged a withdrawal. Ethiopia has accused Eritrea, Sudan and Egypt of supporting armed opponents; those governments deny the allegations. The military reversals now unfolding risk widening a conflict whose neighbors are already exchanging diplomatic accusations.
The immediate test is whether the withdrawal creates room for talks or another front line. The African Union has urged restraint, AP reported. The agreement’s survival will depend on whether the parties return to a political process before military control of the capital is treated as a solution.
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