Ethiopian Forces Reclaim Tigray Capital Airport as Rebel Conflict Escalates

Ethiopian federal troops have reportedly regained control of the main airport in Mekelle, the capital of the Tigray region, according to reports citing government sources on Saturday. The development signals a major shift in the ongoing conflict, which represents the most significant outbreak of violence in the area since the civil war concluded in 2022.

Multiple news agencies, including the Associated Press and AFP, referenced anonymous official sources stating that Ethiopian National Defense Force troops now hold Alula Aba Nega Airport. A military general confirmed to the AP that the armed forces have “full control” of the facility, speaking on condition of anonymity.

The AFP, relying on a humanitarian source, indicated that rebel factions were withdrawing from the city as government forces advanced. However, neither side has released an official statement regarding the current status of Mekelle. Verification remains difficult due to persistent communication blackouts and restricted media access in the region.

The loss of the capital would constitute a notable setback for the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF), which recently formed an alliance with other armed opposition groups in northern Ethiopia. The TPLF had seized the airport and parts of Mekelle on September 23, while also launching attacks on government positions in the adjacent Afar and Amhara regions. Although initial rebel gains were significant, they have been pushed back in recent days.

Debretsion Gebremichael, the TPLF-aligned regional president appointed earlier this year after the group ousted a government-appointed administration, issued a statement on Thursday vowing to continue guerrilla warfare against government forces. His comments echoed the strategy employed when rebels lost Mekelle in 2020. The TPLF, which dominated Ethiopian politics from 1991 to 2018, aims to topple Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s government. The preceding civil war between 2020 and 2022 resulted in an estimated 600,000 deaths.

Beyond the immediate battlefield, the renewed unrest has intensified fears of a broader regional conflict in the Horn of Africa. Ethiopia has long accused its northern neighbor, Eritrea, of supporting Tigray rebels, alongside allegations involving Sudan and Egypt, claims all three nations deny. Tensions escalated last week when Ethiopia and Eritrea severed diplomatic ties, leading to the expulsion of diplomats and the closure of embassies.

The African Union has expressed concern over the deteriorating relations between Ethiopia, Eritrea, and Egypt, urging all parties to exercise maximum restraint. Eritrea has accused landlocked Ethiopia of attempting to invade and secure access to the Red Sea. In a video address, Gebremichael characterized the conflict as regional, stating, “the war is regional and it is a war to control the Red Sea.”