Ethiopian federal forces and allied militias regained control of Mekelle, the Tigray capital, after the TPLF said it had temporarily moved the regional government out of the city.
Ethiopian government forces and allied militias regained control of Mekelle, the capital of Tigray, three sources told Reuters on Sunday. The Tigray People's Liberation Front said on Facebook that it had retreated and that the regional government would temporarily operate from somewhere else.
A source close to the pro-government Tigray Peace Forces told Reuters its fighters entered the center of Mekelle on Saturday afternoon, followed by the Ethiopian military. A humanitarian source and a Mekelle resident, speaking anonymously, confirmed government control of the city, Reuters reported. Al Jazeera also cited an AFP humanitarian source saying TPLF forces had left the regional capital.
The loss of Mekelle is a major setback for the opposition alliance led by the TPLF, which launched an offensive on Sept. 23 against the Ethiopian military, Reuters wrote. Al Jazeera said fighting began after seven armed and political groups announced an alliance aimed at removing Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed's government.
Federal forces and pro-government fighters had earlier recaptured Mekelle's main airport, both outlets reported. The prime minister's office did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment.
Independent access remained limited. Reuters and Al Jazeera relied on militia-linked sources, residents and humanitarian staff rather than an on-the-record government confirmation.