Ethiopian rebel forces withdraw from Tigray regional capital

What Happened

The Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) said it temporarily withdrew its forces from Mekelle, the Tigray regional capital, citing concerns about risks to civilians as fighting with Ethiopian federal forces moved toward the city. Two residents in Mekelle told the BBC that pro-government forces now control the city and TPLF forces have abandoned it; one resident said mobile phone services appeared to have resumed in parts of the city. The withdrawal follows weeks of fighting between the TPLF and federal government forces alongside allied fighters in Tigray, Afar and Amhara.

Key Actors

Why It Matters

The TPLF’s withdrawal from Mekelle marks a major shift in the conflict and raises concerns among observers that fighting could further destabilise the Horn of Africa, potentially drawing in neighbouring countries. The formal end of the 2020–2022 Tigray War under the Pretoria Agreement has now been overtaken by a wider anti-government alliance; Ethiopia’s simultaneous diplomatic ruptures with Eritrea and Egypt—both accused of backing the alliance—risk regional escalation. The United Nations has warned that deteriorating security in northern Ethiopia is severely disrupting humanitarian work, at a time when the earlier civil war drove the region to the precipice of famine.

Watch For

Monitor the Sunday diplomatic meeting in Egypt involving leaders from some of Ethiopia’s neighbours, called for restraint by the US Department of State. Watch whether TPLF forces return to Mekelle or federal/pro-government forces consolidate control, and whether the new TPLF-led alliance launches further offensives. Also track Ethiopia–Eritrea and Ethiopia–Egypt diplomatic expulsions and any retaliatory steps, as well as UN calls for safe and unhindered humanitarian access in northern Ethiopia.