Ethiopia's government retakes Mekelle after opposition fighters withdraw
from Tigray capital
[October 05, 2026]
By RODNEY MUHUMUZA and KHALED KAZZIHA
KAMPALA, Uganda (AP) — Government-allied fighters entered Mekelle, the
capital of Ethiopia’s northern Tigray region, a witness said Sunday,
after the rebel Tigray People’s Liberation Front announced its
withdrawal following renewed fighting.
The TPLF last month seized the Mekelle airport and the city, one of
Ethiopia’s largest. In a statement Saturday, it said its forces had
pulled out. They had done so in the previous two-year war, which ended
with a peace agreement in 2022, apparently to spare the city from
destruction.
Ethiopian Airlines had suspended flights to Mekelle and the Tigrayan
cities of Axum and Shire after the rebels seized the airport. The
African Union urged restraint, warning that renewed tensions threatened
the 2022 agreement.
Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed has tried and failed to subdue Tigray’s
rebellious leaders in recent months, with TPLF Chairman Debretsion
Gebremichael openly challenging him. Debretsion said Thursday that the
fighting was a “continuation of the previous war” and that his fighters
would keep attacking and defending Tigray from its enemies.
Residents report looting and entry of government-allied fighters
After federal troops take control of Mekelle, Abiy is very likely to
leave regional security in the hands of the Tigray Peace Force, which
comprises former members of the TPLF armed wing, Tigray Defense Forces,
according to Jalale Getachew Birru, an analyst of Ethiopia for ACLED, an
independent global monitor that collects, analyzes and maps data on
conflict.
The Tigray Peace Force is fighting alongside federal troops against the
TPLF.
Severe disruptions to internet and cellphone networks have made
gathering and verifying information from Tigray difficult, although some
connectivity was reported Sunday. Residents of Mekelle told The
Associated Press on Saturday that federal forces had retaken the
airport, although details were scanty.
Civilians looted government offices and hauled away equipment from
police headquarters in Mekelle as TPLF-allied fighters withdrew, a local
business owner, who witnessed the departures and looting, said Sunday.
The looting targeted the TPLF administration office, the regional police
headquarters and some shops, Filmon Equar Hailu said.
Speaking by phone from Mekelle, Filmon said he saw some TPLF-allied
fighters with light weapons leaving the city, some on foot. Departures
began in small groups about three days ago and continued through
Saturday afternoon, he said.
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Small groups of fighters from the Tigray Peace Force entered Mekelle,
Filmon said, adding he heard celebratory gunfire overnight into Sunday
morning.
The TPLF is one of seven opposition groups that declared an alliance
late last month whose objective is to remove Abiy. He rose to the
premiership in 2018, and was reelected earlier this year. In addition to
once being Tigray’s ruling party, the TPLF was the dominant group in a
coalition that ruled Ethiopia between 1991 and 2018.
The fighting has brought renewed hardship to civilians still recovering
from the previous war. Residents have described fears of renewed
isolation following the suspension of flights. They also reported that
roads connecting Tigray and Afar had been closed to civilian traffic.
Renewed fighting has regional implications
The conflict is also testing regional alliances, with Ethiopia charging
that the TPLF is likely getting support from Eritrea and Egypt.
Relations between Ethiopia and Egypt have been cold in recent years
because of a large power dam on the Nile River that is opposed by Cairo
over concerns it could diminish the amount of water received in Egypt.
Abiy also angered Eritrea over his stated wish for Ethiopia to gain
sovereign access to the Eritrean Red Sea port of Assab.
Ethiopia on Thursday closed its embassy in Eritrea and ordered 10
Eritrean diplomats to leave Addis Ababa, the federal capital, citing
their alleged “involvement in activities that pose a direct threat to
Ethiopia’s national security.” Eritrea retaliated by saying it was
cutting diplomatic ties with its neighbor.
Egypt denies supporting the TPLF, and Eritrea says Abiy is trying to
externalize an internal conflict.
Eritrean President Isaias Afwerki traveled to Egypt on a working visit
at the invitation of his counterpart there, Eritrean Information
Minister Yemane Gebremeskel said Saturday.
Afwerki and President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi would “discuss further
enhancement of bilateral ties during the visit,” Yemane said on social
platform X.
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Kazziha reported from Nairobi, Kenya.
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