Ethiopia has reportedly recaptured Mekele, the capital of the Tigray region, from rebel forces. The city's recapture follows a ten-day offensive that had been reported on October 3 by The Zioneer.
Overnight and this morning, additional reports have confirmed that Ethiopian federal forces (ENDF), alongside the allied Tigray Peace Force (TPF), have recaptured Mekele, the capital of the Tigray region, from rebel Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF) forces. The Washington D.C.-based Institute for the Study of War (ISW) independently confirmed the capture late Saturday, assessing that federal forces faced little resistance as TPLF fighters withdrew westward. The development follows ten days of renewed fighting that saw ENDF and TPF forces advance on the city and surrounding towns.
As The Zioneer reported on Saturday evening (October 3), initial reports indicated that ENDF and TPF had taken control of Mekele, with Tigray Defense Forces (TDF) retreating toward the Eritrean border near Adwa. A subsequent report, also published Saturday, covered ISW's confirmation of the city's capture and noted that local Tigray Peace Force militias loyal to the Ethiopian government had earlier seized the airport in Mekele from the TPLF about two weeks after it was taken by the rebels. The thread's estimates of the timeline remain consistent: the main offensive lasted ten days, culminating in the fall of Mekele by late Saturday.
Rumors that TPLF leadership has relocated to the town of Adwa, approximately 160 kilometers northwest of Mekele, have not been independently confirmed. No details on casualties or the immediate aftermath have been released.
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