Ethiopian government forces advance in Tigray as rebels retreat: what you need to know | Conflict News

The Ethiopian army and pro-government forces recaptured the main airport in Mekelle, Tigray’s capital, as government forces advanced in the northern region after more than a week of intense fighting.

Fighting broke out last week between the federal government of Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed and the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) and its allies, shattering the fragile Pretoria Accord, a peace deal signed in November 2022.

The fighting has fueled fears it could escalate into a wider regional conflict, likely to draw in neighboring countries in the Horn of Africa.

Here’s what you need to know about the latest developments:

What’s the latest fighting news?

Ethiopian troops have regained control of Alula Aba Nega airport in Mekelle, a source with knowledge of events in the city and a humanitarian source told the Reuters news agency.

The airport, located about 10 km east of central Mekelle, was one of three airfields in the region seized by rebel forces when fighting began on September 23.

A third source, a Mekelle resident who asked to remain anonymous for security reasons, confirmed that government forces had retaken the airport and added that gunfire could be heard outside the city center.

This source reported seeing some TPLF fighters abandon their posts and return home and indicated that looting of government facilities was taking place in the city.

This was also confirmed by a local journalist who told the AFP news agency that “TPLF activists and leaders are leaving Mekelle.”

The journalist added that government offices and police stations were also left without security personnel.

A local resident told AFP he feared that “government and public property could be exposed to looting.”

“Anarchy could spread in the city and I am also afraid for my life. I want us to return to law and order quickly,” said another resident.

On Friday, Al Jazeera Ethiopia bureau chief Mohammed Taha Tawakel reported that forces loyal to the federal government had made significant progress in Tigray, taking control of several towns and closing in on Mekelle.

Where are the fights taking place?

Fighting has taken place on several fronts in northern Ethiopia spanning the Tigray, Amhara and Afar regions.

Last week, the Tigray Peace Force, an armed group made up of Tigrayan fighters aligned with the federal government, announced it had captured the town of Alamata.

Alamata is important because it is near Tigray’s southern border with Amhara and serves as a supply hub for troops, fuel and food. Control of the city could allow federal forces to push north toward Mekelle.

The offensive in Afar could threaten supply routes from Djibouti, through which most Ethiopian imports, including fuel, pass.

The fighting in Afar also comes amid allegations of direct Eritrean involvement.

Ethiopia has accused Eritrea of ​​supporting armed groups opposed to its government. Eritrea rejects accusations

Fighting has also spread to Amhara, particularly around northern Wollo. The Ethiopian military said around 270 Tigrayan fighters were killed there and more than 200 injured.

Outside of northern Ethiopia, the conflict appeared to spread for the first time to the capital, Addis Ababa, on Thursday morning, when an explosion was reported to the defense ministry.

What is the humanitarian situation?

The fighting has already had a devastating humanitarian toll.

At least 52 civilians have been killed in fighting in northern Ethiopia.

Doctors Without Borders, also known by its French acronym MSF, said last week there had been an increase in the number of injuries in the north.

Amnesty International said Friday that since the resumption of fighting it had received “credible reports of destruction of civilian property through bombings and airstrikes, intensified forced conscription and other acts that may constitute violations of international humanitarian law and international human rights law.”

“The African Union Peace and Security Council cannot wait for mass atrocities to occur or an increase in civilian casualties before putting Ethiopia, its host country, on the agenda. The AU, which was one of the guarantors of the ceasefire agreement that has now effectively failed, must learn from past mistakes, urgently activate its response mechanisms and mobilize its member states before it is too late,” it said. said Tigere Chagutah, Amnesty International’s regional director for Eastern and Southern Africa, in a statement.

“The starting point is for the Peace and Security Council to urgently convene an emergency session on the situation in Ethiopia. This is particularly crucial as fears of a regionalization of the conflict increase.”

Could the current conflict spread to the region?

Analysts fear the current conflict could spread beyond Ethiopia’s borders.

Eritrea severed diplomatic ties with Ethiopia on Thursday, escalating a long-simmering conflict between the two states.

In a statement, Eritrea’s foreign ministry said Ethiopia’s actions left it “with no choice but to reciprocate in kind and sever all diplomatic ties with Ethiopia.”

The ministry accused Ethiopia of pursuing a “program of relentless hostility” for years, including encroaching on its coastal areas and arming fighters opposed to the Ethiopian government.

Eritrea and Ethiopia restored relations in 2018 under Abiy’s leadership after more than 20 years of tensions, but relations have since deteriorated following Addis Ababa’s accusation that Asmara supports Tigray rebels.

Ethiopia and Eritrea now also find themselves on opposing sides.

The conflict in their common neighbor Sudan has drawn both countries in, alongside other African and Gulf states.

On the coast, Somalia’s security crises are worsening, threatening to further fragment the country as foreign powers covet its autonomous regions for their coastline.

In this context, the US-Israeli war against Iran and the involvement of Yemen’s Houthis just across the Red Sea from Eritrea have also increased concerns about trade routes using this waterway.

Laura Hammond, professor of development studies at SOAS University of London, told Al Jazeera on Friday that this scenario was already happening.

“The risks of the conflict spreading to other countries or regional neighbors becoming involved in the current conflict are already manifesting themselves in terms of Eritrea’s support for the TPLF and the Survival Alliance,” Hammond said.

“There is a strong possibility that Eritrea will become more involved in the conflict on the ground inside Tigray if it continues much longer,” she continued. “There is also a risk that the conflict will inflame relations with and within Sudan. »

Eritrea has denied any involvement in the war.