Ethiopian forces take control of Mekelle after TPLF withdrawal

Ethiopian federal forces and allied fighters took control of Mekelle, the capital of the northern Tigray region, after the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) announced it had withdrawn, shifting control of a city at the center of renewed fighting. Reports from residents and local sources said government-aligned troops entered on October 3 and were patrolling and securing key institutions the following day. The extent and durability of their control have not been independently established. The TPLF said its regional administration would temporarily operate from elsewhere, while its forces would continue military operations. The withdrawal followed fighting that began on September 23. Government-aligned forces also retook Mekelle’s airport, which TPLF fighters had seized earlier in the renewed conflict. Ethiopian Airlines suspended flights to Mekelle and the Tigrayan cities of Axum and Shire after the airport was taken. Residents reported looting of government offices, police facilities and some shops as TPLF-aligned fighters left. Accounts also described a temporary security vacuum, with police absent and residents organizing neighborhood watches.