Ethiopia Regains Mekelle Airport as Tigray Forces Withdraw

Ethiopian forces have taken control of the airport and other parts of Mekelle, the capital of the Tigray region in the north of the country, while leaders of the Tigray People's Liberation Front have withdrawn from the city, marking a significant shift in the course of the renewed conflict, according to Bloomberg.

Violence erupted in northern Ethiopia last month after several armed groups announced the formation of an alliance aimed at overthrowing Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed's government.

The military advance of federal forces in Tigray comes days after suspected drone strikes targeted the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa, raising fears of escalating conflict and increasing instability in the region.

Abraham Belay, commissioner of the Ethiopian Nuclear Energy Authority, told Ethiopian state television: "Our defense forces are advancing and clearing areas in Tigray. Therefore, we are beginning the process of restoring peace and stability in the region as quickly as possible, alongside organizing local administration that allows communities to manage their own affairs."

The Tigray People's Liberation Front stated in a social media post 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 the leaders of the Tigray People's Liberation Front from Mekelle is very similar to the first phase of the previous Ethiopian war in November 2020, when federal forces took control of the regional capital, and the political and military leadership of the front withdrew to the mountains of Tigray.

However, that withdrawal did not end the conflict, as the front regrouped and rebuilt its forces, returning to Mekelle after months, following the withdrawal of federal forces from the city.