Ethiopia Regains Mekelle Airport as Tigray Conflict Intensifies

Ethiopian government forces have reclaimed the Alula Aba Nega airport in Mekelle, the capital of Tigray, marking a significant shift in the ongoing clash between the federal government and the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF). The airport, located roughly 10 km east of Mekelle’s city centre, had been seized by rebel forces on 23 September and remained under their control for more than a week.

The recapture came amid a broader push by federal troops across northern Ethiopia, including advances in the Amhara and Afar regions. Sources close to the front lines report that TPLF fighters are abandoning positions and retreating from the city, while reports of looting in government facilities have surfaced.

"The TPLF militants and leaders are leaving Mekelle," said a local journalist, noting that key government buildings and police stations had been left unsecured.

The conflict, which erupted last week after the collapse of the Pretoria Agreement signed in November 2022, has raised fears of a wider regional war that could draw in neighbouring Horn of Africa states.

In addition to Mekelle, federal forces have seized the town of Alamata—an important supply hub near Tigray’s southern border with Amhara—potentially paving the way for a northern push toward Mekelle. The offensive in the Afar region threatens vital supply routes from Djibouti, a key corridor for Ethiopian imports.

Ethiopia has accused Eritrea of supporting anti‑government armed groups, a claim the neighboring country has denied. The fighting now extends into Amhara, notably around North Wollo, where the Ethiopian military reports that roughly 270 Tigrayan fighters have been engaged.

As the front lines shift, the international community watches closely, concerned that the conflict could spill beyond Ethiopia’s borders and destabilise the broader Horn of Africa region.