Ethiopian forces close in on Mekelle as Tigray conflict escalates
MEKELLE, Ethiopia — Federal Ethiopian troops and allied militias are moving toward Mekelle, the capital of the northern Tigray region, as a new offensive intensifies the conflict between Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s government and an armed alliance led by the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF), Reuters reported Friday.
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The pro-government Tigray Peace Forces militia said it had seized Milazat, a town roughly 20 kilometres (12 miles) southeast of Mekelle. Videos shared on social media appeared to show fighters in the town, though Reuters said it was unable to verify the footage independently. Ethiopian government and military officials, along with the TPLF, did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the claimed advance.
Since fighting resumed last week, Ethiopia’s military and its allies have reported swift gains across Tigray. The renewed violence marks the most significant escalation since the 2020-2022 war between the federal government and the TPLF, a conflict that killed hundreds of thousands of people and forced millions from their homes.
Residents in Mekelle were increasingly anxious on Friday as they braced for the possibility that the fighting could reach the city. Two residents told Reuters that banks and most shops had shut. A diplomatic source said some senior TPLF figures had already departed Mekelle, while cautioning that clashes could continue even if federal forces took the regional capital.
TPLF chairman Debretsion Gebremichael confirmed that federal forces had captured parts of Tigray, but said his fighters were preparing a counteroffensive. The latest clashes began after the TPLF joined six other Ethiopian armed groups in an alliance that says its objective is to remove Abiy’s government.
The escalation has unfolded alongside a steep decline in relations between Ethiopia and Eritrea. Addis Ababa said Thursday that it was shutting its embassy in Asmara and had ordered 10 Eritrean diplomats to leave Ethiopia within 48 hours, accusing Eritrea of hostile actions. Eritrea then said it was cutting diplomatic relations with Ethiopia. The neighbours fought a border war from 1998 to 2000 and restored diplomatic ties in 2018.
Ethiopia has further accused Eritrea, Sudan and Egypt of backing the armed opposition alliance, charges denied by all three countries. Tensions with Egypt rose this week when Ethiopia expelled an Egyptian diplomat, leading Cairo to respond by expelling a counsellor from the Ethiopian embassy.
The African Union Commission has called on Ethiopia, Eritrea and Egypt to show maximum restraint and settle their disputes through diplomacy and peaceful dialogue. It warned that further actions could deepen tensions across the region.
The renewed fighting has fueled fears that the crisis could spread beyond Ethiopia. Tigray shares borders with Eritrea to the north and Sudan to the west, while Sudan has been embroiled in civil war for more than three years. Explosions were reported in Addis Ababa late Wednesday, and a source linked to the opposition alliance claimed drones had struck federal military facilities and other locations. Reuters said it could not independently confirm the claim.
The latest offensive comes as Tigray remains vulnerable despite the 2022 peace deal that ended the previous war. Humanitarian and communications disruptions have already been reported, and the advance toward Mekelle has renewed fears of another large-scale battle for the regional capital.
