Ethiopian federal military forces have recaptured Alula Aba Nega Airport in Mekelle following renewed clashes in Tigray. The Tigray People’s Liberation Front confirmed its withdrawal from the regional capital as fighting expands across northern Ethiopia, raising urgent fears of a wider regional conflict.
Ethiopian federal forces and allied militia fighters recaptured Alula Aba Nega Airport in the regional capital of Mekelle, marking a critical turn in the renewed conflict. The fighting erupted last week in the most serious escalation since the conclusion of the 2020–2022 civil war. The airport, situated roughly 10 kilometers or 6 miles from the urban center, had been seized by opposition fighters at the outbreak of the clashes on September 23.
In addition to taking the airport, federal forces and allied militias advanced on Alamata, a strategic town located in southern Tigray, though reports regarding full control of that area remained unconfirmed amid communication blackouts and restricted reporting.
Tigray People’s Liberation Front Withdraws From Mekelle
A source close to the pro-government militia, the Tigray Peace Forces, stated that its fighters entered the city center on Saturday afternoon, followed closely by the Ethiopian military.
A humanitarian worker and a Mekelle resident confirmed the city was controlled by government forces and their allies. Filmon Equar Hailu, a local businessman in Mekelle, reported observing TPLF-allied fighters leaving the city while civilians engaged in looting government facilities and taking equipment from police headquarters.
The Tigray Peace Force itself consists of former members of the Tigray Defence Forces fighting alongside federal troops. The TPLF previously served as Tigray’s ruling party and held a dominant position in the governing coalition of Ethiopia from 1991 until 2018. In July, the TPLF declared that the Pretoria agreement had effectively collapsed due to the federal government’s failure to implement key provisions covering disputed territories, disarmed forces, and displaced persons.
Military Campaign Risks Regional Instability as Ethiopia Eritrea Relations Fracture
The renewed military campaign involves a broader set of actors and a wider coalition of opposition groups than the 2020–2022 conflict, raising alarms over potential regional instability comparable to the conflict in Sudan, where fighting that erupted in April 2023 between the army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces displaced millions and generated a severe humanitarian crisis. Meanwhile, diplomatic relations between Ethiopia and Eritrea have fractured. Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, who has attempted to subdue Tigray’s leadership in recent months, is leading a government that severed diplomatic ties with Eritrea last week, citing alleged support for the rebel alliance.
The federal government also accused Eritrea, Sudan, and Egypt of supporting the rebel alliance—an allegation denied by all three nations. Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty rejected the claims during discussions in Egypt, stating that Cairo was not a party to Ethiopia’s domestic crisis and emphasizing that the construction of a major dam on the Nile River remains an existential life-or-death issue for 110 million Egyptians concerned about water security.
Washington and African Union Urge Maximum Restraint
The African Union urged restraint as worsening relations between Ethiopia and Eritrea amplified concerns regarding a wider escalation. In Washington, State Department spokesman Tommy Pigott urged both Ethiopia and Eritrea to exercise maximum restraint and return to the 2018 peace framework.
“The Horn of Africa cannot sustain another military conflict and humanitarian crisis. A conflict jeopardizes ongoing U.S. collaboration on shared interests with both countries.”
Tommy Pigott, State Department spokesman, via Reuters
Commercial aviation across northern Tigray remains severely disrupted. Civilian flights to Mekelle, Axum, and Shire were suspended following the September 23 airport seizures, with United Kingdom travel guidance noting that civilian flights to the Tigray region remain suspended and foreign nationals cannot access airports in Afar.
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