Ethiopian Rebel Forces Withdraw From Tigray Regional Capital
The Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF), the rebel movement governing Ethiopia's northern Tigray region, has announced its forces have withdrawn from the regional capital, Mekelle. Fighters of the pro-government Tigray Peace Forces militia entered the city center on Saturday afternoon, followed by the Ethiopian military — a major reversal in what Reuters calls the worst escalation since the 2020–2022 civil war.
On Saturday, October 3 (US Eastern), the TPLF said in a social-media statement that its forces had pulled out of Mekelle and that the regional government would be "temporarily moved out of Mekelle and operate from somewhere else." The same day, a source close to the Tigray Peace Forces told Reuters and the Associated Press that its fighters had entered downtown Mekelle on Saturday afternoon, followed by federal troops. On Sunday, October 4, residents and a humanitarian source confirmed to both wire services that the city was under government-force control, with some internet and mobile connectivity restored.
The flare-up began September 23, when seven armed and political groups — including the TPLF — announced an alliance aimed at removing Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed's government and forming an inclusive transitional administration, then launched a large offensive against the Ethiopian military. TPLF fighters seized Mekelle and its airport, prompting Ethiopian Airlines to suspend flights to Mekelle, Axum and Shire. On October 2–3, federal-aligned forces recaptured Mekelle's Alula Aba Nega Airport: the Tigray Peace Forces announced late Friday on X that it had "taken full control" of the airport and was "clearing the city of Mekelle," and an anonymous Ethiopian general confirmed to AP: "The military is in full control of the airport. That much I can confirm."
The TPLF's stated reason for withdrawing was civilian protection — to spare Mekelle the destruction of the previous war. The 2020–2022 Tigray civil war killed "hundreds of thousands of lives," according to estimates cited across outlets, before ending with the 2022 Pretoria peace agreement. TPLF chairman Debretsion Gebremichael said on October 1 that the current fighting was a "continuation of the previous war." AP reported looting at government offices, the regional police headquarters and some shops as TPLF forces withdrew, with residents fearing more amid the uncertainty.
One distinction matters: the Tigray Peace Forces are not the TPLF. They are a breakaway faction of Tigrayan fighters now aligned with the federal government, and they spearheaded the entry into the city. Analysts say Abiy is very likely to leave regional security in their hands.
The conflict is spilling into a regional crisis. Ethiopia accuses Eritrea, Sudan and Egypt of backing the rebels; Eritrea — Addis Ababa's ally in the 2020–2022 war — has severed diplomatic ties with Ethiopia. The U.S. State Department called for "restraint" and "dialogue" on all sides and urged Ethiopia and Eritrea to respect neighbors' sovereignty. On Sunday, the presidents of Egypt, Somalia, Sudan and Eritrea met in Alamein, Egypt, to address the escalation. The African Union also urged restraint, warning renewed tensions threatened the 2022 agreement.
No source gives troop-strength figures, and no casualty figures for the current fighting have been reported. The TPLF calls its withdrawal "temporary" — whether the conflict now shifts to highland guerrilla warfare remains an open question.