Federal troops have taken control of Alula Aba Nega Airport in Ethiopia’s northern Tigray region according to reports. It remains unclear exactly when the airport was recaptured because communication disruptions have limited access to reliable information from the area. Reuters and the Associated Press reported on October 3 that federal forces and allied fighters had retaken the airport.
The TPLF had seized the airport on September 23, which led Ethiopian Airlines to stop flights to Mekelle and nearby cities like Axum and Shire. The airport seizure cut off commercial air service to Tigray during the renewed fighting.
Federal troops are currently fighting alongside allied Tigrayan groups against the TPLF in what has become a complex and shifting conflict.
The situation follows a sharp increase in tensions between Ethiopia and Eritrea with the Ethiopian government ordering ten Eritrean diplomats to leave the country. Eritrea responded by severing diplomatic relations with Ethiopia. The United States and African Union have urged restraint amid fears that renewed fighting could destabilize the Horn of Africa.
The airport recapture was followed by a major development in Mekelle. On October 4 pro-government forces entered the regional capital after the TPLF announced that its fighters had withdrawn. The Associated Press reported that members of the Tigray Peace Force moved into Mekelle as TPLF officials relocated the regional administration.
The ongoing fighting has added to the suffering of civilians who were already dealing with hardship from a previous war between 2020 and 2022.
The Tigray region has seen violence erupt in recent weeks following the formation of an alliance among seven armed groups. These groups have declared their intent to remove Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s administration from power. The conflict has drawn attention not only within Ethiopia but also across the broader Horn of Africa region, according to a report from ABC News.