Latest news on the Tigray region conflict and a major defeat...

Mekelle (Caasimada Online) — The federal forces of Ethiopia have fully taken control of the city of Mekelle, the capital of the Tigray region, after the leaders and fighters of the TPLF withdrew from the city, marking a new phase in the conflict in northern Ethiopia.

The federal troops and armed forces supporting the government entered Mekelle on Saturday without encountering significant fighting, following a counter-offensive that deeply penetrated the territory controlled by the TPLF within days.

A journalist in the city told AFP on Sunday that the federal forces were patrolling the streets of Mekelle and were securing key government facilities.

Communication in the city has also been restored for the first time in over a week.

“We have taken over Mekelle, and we will continue to advance,” a commander from the government-backed militia told AFP.

However, the situation in the city remained abnormal. Businesses and shops were closed, with many traders having previously removed their goods from commercial premises out of fear of looting and destruction.

A resident of Mekelle told AFP that the police were not present in the city, forcing people in some neighborhoods to organize themselves at night to maintain security.

TPLF confirms withdrawal from Mekelle

The TPLF has officially confirmed that it has withdrawn its forces from the capital of Tigray.

A statement released indicated that the Tigray regional administration is "temporarily relocating from Mekelle," while it will continue to operate from another location.

The Tigray Peace Forces, part of the government-supported forces, stated that their fighters entered central Mekelle on Saturday afternoon, before federal troops pursued them.

Humanitarian sources and a resident of Mekelle also confirmed to Reuters that the city is under the control of government forces and their allies.

The loss of Mekelle is a significant blow to the TPLF and the armed coalition it leads, which launched extensive attacks against the Ethiopian federal forces on September 23.

This attack initially allowed the Tigray forces to achieve several victories, but government troops later launched a rapid counter-offensive, retaking key towns like Alamata before moving towards Mekelle.

Will TPLF revert to guerrilla warfare?

The takeover of Mekelle does not mean that the Tigray war is over.

TPLF leader Debretsion Gebremichael indicated this week that his forces could shift to a guerrilla warfare strategy similar to that used in the previous conflict.

“We are working on a strategy that allows us to attack the enemy where we choose,” Debretsion said.

A similar situation occurred in 2020 when Ethiopian federal forces captured Mekelle. The TPLF then shifted to guerrilla warfare before retaking the city in 2021.

The conflict between the federal government and the TPLF from 2020 to 2022 caused widespread death and significant destruction, and the Pretoria agreement in November 2022 ended that conflict. The new war now threatens that agreement.

Regional leaders meeting in Egypt

The takeover of Mekelle coincided with several regional leaders meeting in the city of Alamein in Egypt on Sunday, amid growing concerns that the Ethiopian war could spread to the region.

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi was expected to meet with Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, Eritrean President Isaias Afwerki, and Sudanese military chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, who are participating in a meeting on the sidelines of the African Business Forum.

Ethiopia has accused Eritrea of directly supporting the Tigray forces, while also accusing Egypt and Sudan of backing the opposition alliance. All three countries have denied these accusations.

Egypt's Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty told Reuters on Sunday that Cairo has no involvement in the internal conflict in Ethiopia.

“We are not part of the internal turmoil currently happening in Ethiopia,” Abdelatty said.

The tension between Ethiopia and Egypt has also long been rooted in the dispute over the major dam Ethiopia has built on the Nile River, which Cairo sees as a matter directly affecting its water security.

Abdelatty described that dispute as a “matter of life or death” for more than 100 million Egyptians.

However, the main source of immediate concern now is what the TPLF will do after the loss of Mekelle, and whether its retreat will mark the beginning of a prolonged guerrilla war or if government forces will continue to expand their control over Tigray.