Ethiopian government forces seize Tigray capital Mekelle as TPLF withdraws

Federal troops and allied fighters seen in control of the city after capturing main regional airport.Published On 4 Oct 20264 Oct 2026The group leading an armed Ethiopian opposition alliance says it has withdrawn from Mekelle, the capital of the northern region of Tigray, after an advance by government forces and allied fighters.In a statement on social media late on Saturday, the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) said it had “temporarily moved out of Mekelle” to “operate from somewhere else”.Recommended Stories list of 3 itemslist 1 of 3Could conflict in Ethiopia expand across the region?list 2 of 3Ethiopia’s government forces retake airport from Tigray rebels in Mekellelist 3 of 3Ethiopian gov’t forces advance in Tigray as rebels retreat: What to knowend of listThe announcement came hours after Ethiopia’s federal army and pro-government fighters recaptured Mekelle’s main airport. A source close to the Tigray Peace Forces, a pro-government militia, ‌told the Reuters news agency its fighters had entered Mekelle’s centre on Saturday afternoon, followed by the Ethiopian military.A humanitarian source and a Mekelle resident who asked not to be named confirmed the city was under ...