Ethiopian government forces retake Mekelle as TPLF withdraws from Tigray capital

Ethiopian federal forces and allied militias have regained control of Mekelle, the capital of Tigray, after the Tigray People’s Liberation Front withdrew from the city over the weekend. The TPLF leads the opposition armed alliance controlling the regional administration and launched a major offensive against the Ethiopian military on September 23.

The change in control came as the leaders of Egypt, Eritrea, Somalia and Sudan met in Egypt on Sunday, October 4, calling for political solutions to regional conflicts.

Fighters from the pro-government Tigray Peace Forces entered central Mekelle on Saturday afternoon, October 3, followed by the Ethiopian army, a source close to the militia told Reuters. A humanitarian worker and a resident separately confirmed government control to the agency. The prime minister’s office had not commented at the time of that report.

The TPLF acknowledged its withdrawal in a Facebook statement, saying the regional government would be “temporarily moved out of Mekelle and operate from somewhere else”. It presented the retreat as a way to spare the city further destruction, while indicating that its forces would continue fighting from other positions.

New interim administration in Tigray

Abraham Belay, a former head of Tigray’s interim administration, said on Sunday that a new temporary administration was being prepared and that regional elections were expected within a few months. In an interview carried by Ethiopian state media, he said the new structure would enable Tigray’s population to govern itself. The Ethiopian News Agency’s account of his remarks said administrative structures would be organised with community participation.

The fighting is the most serious since the 2020–2022 war, which ended with the Pretoria agreement in November 2022. In July, the TPLF said that accord had effectively collapsed, accusing the federal government of failing to implement key provisions. Addis Ababa rejected that allegation.

The TPLF now belongs to an alliance of seven armed organisations from different parts of Ethiopia, and fighting has spread into Afar. Diplomatic sources reported explosions in Addis Ababa last week, including near army headquarters. An alliance source claimed drone strikes were responsible; that explanation has not been independently confirmed.

Four leaders issue joint declaration in Egypt

Ethiopia accuses Eritrea, Sudan and Egypt of supporting the alliance, an allegation all three countries deny. Addis Ababa and Asmara broke diplomatic relations on October 1.

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi hosted Eritrean President Isaias Afwerki, Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud and Sudanese army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan in New Alamein on October 4.

Their joint declaration said responsibility for Red Sea governance belonged to its coastal states, as landlocked Ethiopia seeks access to the sea. It also rejected unilateral measures harming the existing water uses of the Nile’s downstream countries. The leaders backed Sudan’s national institutions and a political process led by Sudanese parties. Sisi said cross-border challenges required “dialogue, not confrontation”.

Eritrean Information Minister Yemane Gebremeskel said on X on Sunday that Addis Ababa was trying to create a pretext for an attack on Eritrea. Ethiopia says it is restoring federal authority in Tigray and preparing a new regional administration; the TPLF says it will continue its struggle from elsewhere.