Ethiopian forces advance toward Mekelle as Tigray fighting intensifies

MEKELLE, Ethiopia — Ethiopian federal forces and allied militias are advancing toward Mekelle, the capital of the northern Tigray region, as fighting intensifies between the government and an armed alliance led by the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF), Reuters reported Friday.

The pro-government Tigray Peace Forces militia said it had captured Milazat, a town about 20 kilometres (12 miles) southeast of Mekelle. Videos posted on social media appeared to show fighters in the town, but Reuters said it could not independently verify the footage. Ethiopian government and military officials, as well as the TPLF, did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the reported advance. 

The Ethiopian military and allied forces have reported rapid advances in Tigray since fighting erupted again last week. The renewed conflict is the most serious escalation in the region since the 2020-2022 war between the federal government and the TPLF, which killed hundreds of thousands of people and displaced millions. 

Fear was growing in Mekelle on Friday as residents prepared for the possibility that the fighting could reach the city. Two residents told Reuters that banks and most shops had closed. A diplomatic source also said some senior TPLF leaders had already left Mekelle, although the source said fighting could continue even if federal forces captured the regional capital. 

TPLF chairman Debretsion Gebremichael acknowledged that federal forces had taken control of parts of Tigray but said his forces would launch a counterattack. The latest fighting follows the formation by the TPLF and six other Ethiopian armed groups of an alliance that says it seeks to remove Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed's government.

The escalation has coincided with a sharp deterioration in Ethiopia's relations with Eritrea. Addis Ababa said Thursday it was closing its embassy in Asmara and ordered 10 Eritrean diplomats to leave Ethiopia within 48 hours, accusing Eritrea of acts of hostility. Eritrea subsequently announced that it was severing diplomatic ties with Ethiopia. The two countries fought a border war between 1998 and 2000 before restoring diplomatic relations in 2018. 

Ethiopia has also accused Eritrea, Sudan and Egypt of supporting the armed opposition alliance, allegations all three countries have denied. The diplomatic dispute with Egypt escalated this week after Ethiopia expelled an Egyptian diplomat, prompting Cairo to expel an Ethiopian embassy counsellor in a reciprocal move. 

The African Union Commission has urged Ethiopia, Eritrea and Egypt to exercise maximum restraint and resolve their differences through diplomatic channels and peaceful dialogue, warning against actions that could worsen regional tensions.

The fighting has also raised concerns about a wider regional conflict. Tigray borders Eritrea to the north and Sudan to the west, while Sudan has been engulfed in a civil war for more than three years. Explosions were heard in Addis Ababa late Wednesday, with a source linked to the opposition alliance claiming that drones had targeted federal military facilities and other sites. Reuters said it could not independently verify the claim.

The renewed conflict comes as Tigray remains fragile after the 2022 peace agreement that ended the previous war. Humanitarian and communications disruptions have already been reported, while the advance toward Mekelle has increased fears of another major battle for the regional capital.