Pro-government militias in Ethiopia have claimed control of a major airport near the Tigrayan capital, Mekelle, as the conflict in the region continues to escalate. The Tigray Peace Force, a pro-government militia, posted on social media that it had taken full control of Mekelle Alula Aba Nega Airport, roughly 10 kilometers outside the regional capital. The claims could not be independently verified due to media restrictions and communication disruptions.
The conflict in northern Ethiopia began last week when the rebel Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF) launched attacks into the states of Afar and Amhara, raising fears of a return to the devastating 2020-2022 civil war. The government accuses Eritrea of supporting the TPLF, leading to a breakdown in diplomatic relations between the two countries. Ethiopia expelled 10 Eritrean diplomats and shut its embassy in Asmara, while Eritrea responded by severing all diplomatic ties.
The conflict has also affected Ethiopia's relations with Egypt, with Ethiopia expelling an Egyptian diplomat without explanation, prompting a reciprocal move by Cairo. The two countries have been at odds over Addis Ababa's new Nile mega-dam, with Egypt strengthening ties with Eritrea in recent months. Eritrea has long feared that landlocked Ethiopia plans to invade and seize access to its coastline.
The TPLF's leader, Debretsion Gebremichael, said in a video published late Thursday that the war is regional and aimed at controlling the Red Sea. The African Union, based in Ethiopia, has expressed concern over the heightened tensions between Ethiopia, Eritrea, and Egypt, urging maximum restraint. The conflict has resulted in a significant humanitarian crisis, with reports of widespread destruction and displacement.
On the frontlines in northern Ethiopia, the Tigrayan rebels appear to be suffering a pushback, with the government engaged in a counter-offensive pushing into Tigrayan territory along three axes towards the capital Mekelle. According to the Critical Threats Project, part of the American Enterprise Institute think tank, the Ethiopian military has largely repelled the rebel offensive.
The conflict has also seen the use of drone strikes, with reports of an explosion at the defence ministry, housing the Ethiopian National Defence Force (ENDF) headquarters, overnight Wednesday-Thursday. Diplomatic sources suggest that the devices used were likely FPV (First-Person View) drones, essentially militarized commercial drones fitted with an explosive charge.
The humanitarian situation in the region remains dire, with reports of widespread destruction and displacement. A humanitarian source told AFP that the TPLF had been pushed out of Afar, but the humanitarian situation had little changed, with no access to food in the north. Conflict monitor ACLED reported that pro-government forces had retaken control of several Afar towns, while the Critical Threats Project said rebel forces had launched a drone strike campaign across Ethiopia.
Key points
- The Ethiopian pro-government militia claims control of a major airport near the Tigrayan capital, Mekelle.
- The conflict has resulted in a breakdown in diplomatic relations between Ethiopia, Eritrea, and Egypt.
- The humanitarian situation in the region remains dire, with reports of widespread destruction and displacement.
