Ethiopian Government Forces Regain Control of Airport in Tigray Capital

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Three sources said on Saturday that the Ethiopian federal army has regained control of the main airport in the capital of the Tigray region in the north of the country, marking a significant setback for the opposition alliance in its stronghold. Clashes erupted last week between a rebel alliance led by the ruling party in Tigray on one side, and the government and its allied forces on the other, in the most serious escalation of violence since the civil war between 2020 and 2022. The fighting has raised fears that it could escalate into a wider regional conflict that might draw in neighboring countries in the Horn of Africa and the Gulf.

In Washington, State Department spokesperson Tommy Vietor said the United States strongly urges Ethiopia and Eritrea to "exercise maximum restraint and return to dialogue and cooperation as agreed under their peace framework from 2018." He added, "The Horn of Africa cannot bear another military conflict and humanitarian crisis... the conflict jeopardizes ongoing U.S. cooperation on shared interests with both countries." The federal government in Addis Ababa severed diplomatic relations with Eritrea this week, accusing it of supporting the rebel alliance alongside Sudan and Egypt. The three countries deny this.

A source familiar with the events in the city and a humanitarian source told Reuters that forces from the Ethiopian National Army regained control of the Alula Aba Nega Airport in Mekelle, the capital of Tigray. A third source, a resident of Mekelle who requested anonymity for security reasons, confirmed that government forces had taken control of the airport, adding that he could hear gunfire outside the city center. The source said he saw some Tigray Defense Forces fighters leaving their positions and heading home, and that looting of government facilities was taking place in the city. Reuters could not immediately verify these claims, nor could it reach the Tigray People's Liberation Front, the ruling party in the region, for comment. However, a source close to the front told Reuters that the city is surrounded by government forces and allied militias.

Mekelle Airport, located about ten kilometers from the city center, was one of three airports in the region seized by opposition forces at the beginning of the fighting on September 23. Government control over Mekelle would represent a significant setback for the opposition alliance, although analysts doubt it will end the conflict. In 2020, federal forces took control of Mekelle during the first month of the two-year war before it was reclaimed by the Tigray People's Liberation Front seven months later.