Ethiopian gov’t forces advance in Tigray as rebels retreat: What to know

Ethiopian federal troops and allied pro-government forces have pushed into northern Tigray and regained control of Alula Aba Nega Airport, located roughly 10 km east of Mekelle, several sources including humanitarian contacts told Reuters. The advance followed more than a week of intense fighting that began on Sept. 23 between federal forces loyal to Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed and the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) and its allies, effectively shattering the Pretoria Agreement reached in November 2022. Fighting is occurring on multiple fronts across Tigray, Amhara and Afar regions. Pro-government Tigrayan fighters said they captured the town of Alamata near Tigray’s southern border with Amhara, a logistics hub that could facilitate a federal push north toward Mekelle. Reports also indicate federal gains in several towns and that government-aligned forces were closing in on Mekelle, with some residents and journalists saying TPLF fighters and leaders were leaving the city and that government offices and police stations were abandoned. The violence has produced a mounting humanitarian toll. Aid groups and rights organizations reported rising numbers of wounded; Doctors Without Borders (MSF) noted a surge in injured people in the north, and Amnesty International said it had received credible reports of destruction of civilian objects through shelling and air strikes, intensified forced conscription and other possible violations of international humanitarian and human rights law. At least 52 civilians have been reported killed since hostilities resumed. Observers warn the conflict carries risks of regional spillover. Fighting in Afar threatens supply routes from Djibouti, which handle most Ethiopian imports, and there are allegations of Eritrean involvement in support of armed groups opposed to Ethiopia’s government; Eritrea has rejected some accusations but on Thursday announced it was cutting diplomatic relations with Ethiopia. The situation has also spilled beyond the north, with an explosion reported at Ethiopia’s Ministry of Defence in Addis Ababa earlier in the week, underscoring concerns about wider instability across the Horn of Africa.