Tigray: TPLF withdraws from Mekelle as federal forces take control
Reuters and Associated Press report that federal forces and their allies entered Mekelle after the TPLF withdrew. The change of control does not mean the conflict is over.
Ethiopian federal forces and allied armed groups have taken control of Mekelle, the capital of Tigray, according to corroborating reports from Reuters and Associated Press on Sunday 4 October.
What has been confirmed
The Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF), which leads the regional opposition, announced its withdrawal from the city and the temporary relocation of the regional administration. Reuters cites a resident, a humanitarian source and a source close to the pro-government Tigray Peace Forces. Associated Press also reports that the withdrawal opened the way for federal troops and their allies to enter.
A day earlier, residents and a military source had confirmed to Associated Press that Mekelle airport had been retaken. Severe telecommunications outages continue to hamper independent reporting across the region.
The federal side’s plans
The state-run Ethiopian News Agency reports preparations for a new interim administration and elections in the coming months, citing former interim president Abraham Belay. This is announced government planning; it does not establish that a new administration is already in place or an election timetable has been set.
What the change of control does not mean
Taking a regional capital does not end a conflict. Fighting that resumed on 23 September marks the most serious escalation since the 2020–2022 war and puts the Pretoria peace agreement at risk. There are not yet sufficiently corroborated current figures for casualties, displacement or humanitarian access in Mekelle.
Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s office had not immediately responded to Reuters’ request for comment. The confirmed information is therefore limited to the TPLF withdrawal and the presence of federal and allied forces in the city; subsequent administrative and military moves remain unresolved.
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