Ethiopian gov’t-aligned group claims close to full control of Tigray region

Live updates

1. 54m ago

   Ethiopian Federal Forces Take Tigray Capital

   Ethiopian federal troops and allied fighters control the Tigray regional capital of Mekelle after capturing its main airport, forcing the Tigray People's Liberation Front to withdraw. Thousands of residents have fled the northern city amid advancing federal troops, disrupted services, and renewed conflict that threatens to widen across the Horn of Africa. The flare-up has sparked diplomatic friction, with the African Union urged to convene an emergency session as violence deepens the humanitarian crisis for millions.

   Why it matters

   The resurgence of conflict in northern Ethiopia ends a period of relative calm and disrupts fragile regional stability. The fighting threatens to engulf surrounding countries amid a tangled web of alliances and severed ties between Ethiopia and Eritrea. International monitors warn that containment will prove difficult as the humanitarian situation deteriorates rapidly.

   What is confirmed

   • Troops loyal to Ethiopia's federal government were patrolling the streets of Mekelle on Sunday.
   • The Tigray People's Liberation Front withdrew its forces from Mekelle.
   • Pro-government forces retook the airport in Ethiopia's Tigray region.
   • Thousands of people fled Mekelle amid advancing troops and disrupted services.

   Still unconfirmed

   • The Tigray Peace Forces commander claims government-aligned forces are nearing full control of Tigray.
   • The assertion that Tigray People's Liberation Front forces were wiped out remains unverified.

   What to watch next

   • Whether the African Union convenes an emergency session on the expanding conflict
   • Further developments regarding federal control and humanitarian access in the Tigray region
   Sources used for this update (21)

   1. responsiblestatecraft.org — Reignited violence in Ethiopia threatens to engulf the entire ...
   2. BBC — Explosions heard in Ethiopia's capital after drone flights banned
   3. aljazeera.com — How the fighting in Ethiopia spread beyond Tigray, in maps and charts
   4. Reuters — Ethiopian forces near Tigray capital, fears grow of wider conflict
   5. Al Jazeera — Ethiopian gov’t-aligned group claims close to full control of Tigray region
   6. Foreign Policy — Ethiopia’s Return to War Threatens to Engulf the Horn of Africa
   7. The New York Times — What to Know About Fighting Between Ethiopia and Rebels in Tigray
   8. Critical Threats — Ethiopian Counteroffensive Into Tigray; Internal Tensions Within M23: Africa File, October 1, 2026
   9. Amnesty International — Ethiopia: African Union must convene emergency session on Ethiopia as new conflict expands
   10. Reuters — Pro-government forces say they retake airport in Ethiopia's Tigray region
   11. www.aljazeera.com — Blasts heard in Addis Ababa as Ethiopia conflict widens in the north | Conflict News
   12. www.france24.com — Ethiopian federal forces control Tigray capital as regional rivals meet in Egypt - France 24
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