Ethiopian federal forces have taken control of Mekelle, the capital of the northern Tigray region, after renewed fighting with the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) raised fears of a return to the country’s devastating civil war.
Federal troops entered the city on Saturday after TPLF leaders and fighters withdrew without major resistance. A local journalist told AFP on Sunday that government forces were patrolling the city and had taken positions at key institutions, while communications were gradually restored after more than a week of disruption.
Shops and businesses remained closed, with some residents saying owners had moved their goods to safer places amid fears of looting. Residents also reported organising their own neighbourhood security because of the limited presence of police.
The latest fighting began on September 23, reviving concerns over a conflict similar to the 2020–2022 Tigray war, which the African Union estimates killed more than 600,000 people.
Regional concerns
The renewed conflict has also heightened fears that fighting could spread beyond Ethiopia’s borders, particularly into neighbouring Eritrea.
Ethiopia has accused Eritrea of supporting the TPLF, while also alleging backing from Sudan and Egypt. The three countries have denied the accusations.
As the fighting continued, the presidents of Egypt, Eritrea and Somalia, along with Sudanese Armed Forces leader Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, met in Egypt’s El-Alamein to discuss regional tensions.
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi urged countries to resolve disputes through dialogue and cooperation, particularly over shared resources and transboundary rivers.
A statement issued after the meeting called for disputes in the Horn of Africa to be addressed peacefully and stressed respect for international law and non-interference in the internal affairs of states.
The meeting comes amid a long-running dispute between Egypt and Ethiopia over the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam on the Nile. Relations between the two countries have deteriorated further in recent weeks, including the expulsion of diplomats.
Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty rejected allegations that Cairo was involved in the renewed conflict, describing the situation as an internal Ethiopian crisis driven by political and ethnic divisions.
TPLF vows to continue fighting
Despite losing control of Mekelle, TPLF leader Debretsion Gebremichael has suggested that his forces could continue the conflict through guerrilla-style attacks.
The TPLF previously lost Mekelle to federal forces in 2020 before regaining control of the city the following year.
The group dominated Ethiopian politics for decades before Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed came to power in 2018, leading to growing tensions that eventually erupted into the 2020–2022 war.
A 2022 peace agreement brokered by African institutions and the United States helped end the conflict, although key parts of the agreement were never fully implemented.
The latest escalation has therefore renewed concerns over whether the fragile peace in northern Ethiopia can hold and whether the conflict could develop into a wider regional crisis.
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