Ethiopia’s government forces retake airport from Tigray rebels in Mekelle

What Happened

The Ethiopian National Defence Force (ENDF) and pro-government fighters recaptured Alula Aba Nega Airport in Mekelle on Saturday, according to Reuters, citing a source with knowledge of events in the city and a humanitarian source. The airport, about 10km (6 miles) from the centre of Mekelle, was one of three airfields seized by rebel forces at the start of fighting on September 23. AFP reported that fighters and leaders of the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) were seen retreating from Mekelle, but that federal forces had not yet been seen inside the city; residents expressed concern about looting and lawlessness in the absence of security forces. Al Jazeera stated it could not independently confirm these claims due to heavy media restrictions and communications blackouts. The recapture follows a government counteroffensive pushing into Tigrayan territory along three axes towards Mekelle, according to the Critical Threats Project at the American Enterprise Institute. The TPLF-led seven-party rebel coalition announced its formation last month and seized three airports in Tigray, engaging in fighting on the borders with Amhara and Afar states. Amnesty International documented drone attacks, intensified forced conscription, and attacks on civilian infrastructure in the renewed conflict. Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s government has accused Eritrea, Sudan, and Egypt of backing the coalition; Khartoum and Cairo denied involvement, while Eritrea severed diplomatic ties with Ethiopia, denied supporting the rebels, and accused Addis Ababa of planning to invade Eritrea for Red Sea access. TPLF leader Debretsion Gebremichael said on Thursday that “the war is regional and it is a war to control the Red Sea.”

Key Actors

Why It Matters

The recapture of Mekelle’s airport signals a major government push in a renewed conflict that threatens to unravel the 2022 Pretoria Agreement and reignite large-scale fighting in northern Ethiopia. The war’s regional dimension is escalating: Eritrea has cut diplomatic ties with Ethiopia amid mutual accusations, and the TPLF leader has explicitly framed the conflict as a struggle over Red Sea access. With the previous Tigray War causing hundreds of thousands of deaths, a new offensive risks humanitarian catastrophe and broader destabilisation of the Horn of Africa, drawing in Eritrea, Sudan, Egypt, and Red Sea strategic interests.

Watch For

Whether federal forces enter Mekelle itself and how TPLF-led forces respond following the retreat; residents’ fears of looting and lawlessness in the city. Monitor for official statements from the TPLF and the federal government, which have so far not commented on ground developments. Additional indicators include further drone attacks on Addis Ababa, movements by Eritrea after severing ties, and the progress of the ENDF’s three-axis counteroffensive. Communications blackouts will likely continue to hamper independent verification of events on the ground.