The Washington D.C.-based Institute for the Study of War (ISW) has confirmed that the Ethiopian National Defense Force (ENDF) and the allied Tigray Peace Force (TPF) captured Mekele, the capital of Tigray. According to the ISW assessment, the forces faced little resistance as TPLF fighters withdrew westward. Rumors that TPLF leadership has relocated to Adwa remain unconfirmed.
Earlier this evening, The Zioneer reported that Mekele had fallen to federal forces following 10 days of renewed fighting. The new assessment from the Washington D.C.-based Institute for the Study of War (ISW) corroborates that account. ISW analysts note that the ENDF, operating alongside the allied Tigray Peace Force, entered the city with minimal opposition, as TPLF units had withdrawn westward. The reports indicate that TPLF leadership may have relocated to Adwa, approximately 160 kilometers northwest of Mekele, but this has not been independently verified. The capture of Mekele, which changed hands multiple times during the earlier civil war, marks a significant shift in the current phase of the conflict, which resumed after the collapse of the 2022 peace agreement.
4 developments
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- DevelopingSharp escalation in Ethiopia: fighting underway in Tigray, Amhara, and Afar
- StrongTigray rebels reportedly launch drone attacks on Addis Ababa for first time
- DevelopingReports: Renewed fighting in Ethiopia's Tigray region between separatists and federal army
Source and signal
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