Ethiopian Federal Forces Retake Mekelle Following TPLF Withdrawal Amid Escalating Tigray Conflict

Ethiopian federal forces have successfully established control over Mekelle, the regional capital of Tigray, following a strategic withdrawal by the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF). The TPLF announced a temporary retreat and the relocation of its administration, stating the decision was made to protect the civilian population as fighting with the national army approached the city. Local residents report that pro-government forces now hold the capital, a move that has resurfaced deep-seated fears of renewed economic hardship and mass displacement in the region.

The human cost of the renewed hostilities was underscored on Sunday by a deadly drone strike on a camp for internally displaced persons (IDP) in Sheraro. The assault reportedly killed at least eight people, including children, highlighting the extreme risks faced by civilians as the conflict intensifies. While media restrictions and communication blackouts continue to complicate the verification of specific incidents, the United Nations has issued urgent pleas for all parties to grant humanitarian access to the millions in need of aid, as the violence severely disrupts relief operations.

International observers, including the U.S. State Department, have expressed grave concern that the current escalation could lead to a full-scale return to the civil war conditions seen between 2020 and 2022. The conflict also carries the risk of broader regional destabilization, particularly with the alleged involvement of Eritrean forces and an alliance of various armed groups aiming to challenge Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s government. As the TPLF retreats and federal forces consolidate their positions, the international community remains focused on preventing a wider regional war in the Horn of Africa.