Ethiopian forces seized control of the airport and other parts of Mekelle, the capital of the northern Tigray region, as leaders of the Tigray People’s Liberation Front retreated from the city, a major turning point in the renewed conflict. Violence erupted in Ethiopia’s northern regions last month, after several armed groups announced the formation of an alliance that said it aimed to oust Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s administration. The military push by federal forces in Tigray comes just days after suspected drone attacks struck Ethiopia’s capital Addis Ababa, raising fears the conflict could spiral and add to growing instability in the region.
“Our defense force is advancing and clearing areas in Tigray,” Abraham Belay, commissioner of the Ethiopian Nuclear Energy Commission, said Saturday on Ethiopia’s state broadcaster. “We are therefore beginning the process of restoring peace and stability in the region as quickly as possible, while organizing a local administration for the communities to govern themselves.” The TPLF said in a statement on social media that it “has decided, temporarily, to leave Mekelle and operate from another location in order to create favorable conditions for our forces to defeat the enemy.”
The departure of TPLF leaders from Mekelle closely echoes the opening phase of the last Ethiopian war in November 2020, when federal forces captured the regional capital and the group’s political and military leadership withdrew into Tigray’s mountains. That retreat did not end the conflict. The TPLF regrouped, rebuilt its forces and returned to Mekelle months later after federal troops withdrew from the city. Some of Tigray’s leadership have fled toward Adigrat close to the border with Eritrea, people familiar with the matter said, speaking on the condition of anonymity as they are not authorized to speak publicly.
Tensions between Ethiopia and Eritrea have also mounted since the conflict began. Last week, Eritrea severed diplomatic ties with Ethiopia and alleged “deplorable acts of hostility” by its neighbor. That announcement came hours after Ethiopia closed its embassy in Eritrea, citing “direct and indirect acts of hostility and belligerence.” The US on Saturday warned that increasing cross-border tensions between Ethiopia and Eritrea “have the potential to affect the entire region” with Ethiopia and Egypt already having declared diplomats persona non grata.
Source: Bloomberg Markets · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing