The Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF) withdrew from the Tigrayan capital Mekele without resistance on Sunday, retreating to mountainous areas as Ethiopian National Defense Force (ENDF) units entered the city, The Zioneer reports. The development follows yesterday's capture of Mekele by federal forces after 10 days of renewed fighting.
The Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF) has abandoned the Tigrayan capital Mekele without offering battle, Ethiopian and regional sources reported Sunday morning. The rebel group withdrew into the surrounding mountainous areas as units of the Ethiopian National Defense Force (ENDF) entered and began securing the city. The absence of resistance marks a significant tactical choice by the TPLF, which appears to have opted to preserve its forces for potential guerrilla operations in the highlands.
The development follows a series of reports tracked by The Zioneer over the past 18 hours. At 22:07 Saturday, The Zioneer reported that Mekele had fallen to ENDF and allied Tigray Peace Force (TPF) units after 10 days of renewed fighting, with Tigray Defense Forces (TDF) retreating toward the Eritrean border. At 23:06 Saturday, the Washington D.C.-based Institute for the Study of War (ISW) confirmed the capture and noted that ENDF faced little resistance as TPLF fighters withdrew westward. At 06:13 Sunday, The Zioneer reported that Ethiopian forces had recaptured the city. Sunday morning's reports clarify that the TPLF abandoned Mekele without a fight, contradicting earlier suggestions of a prolonged battle for the capital.
The TPLF's abandonment of Mekele comes after weeks of escalating conflict in northern Ethiopia. As The Zioneer reported on September 23, the TPLF launched a large-scale offensive, seizing federal-held airports and marking the collapse of the peace agreement that had ended the earlier civil war. On September 24, fighting spread to the neighboring Amhara and Afar regions, with Tigrayan forces operating alongside allied militias. The ENDF's recapture of Mekele represents the most significant federal gain since hostilities resumed.
It remains unclear whether the TPLF will mount a sustained insurgency from the Tigrayan highlands or seek to regroup near the Eritrean border. Rumors that TPLF leadership has relocated to the town of Adwa, approximately 160 kilometers northwest of Mekele, have not been independently confirmed. The full extent of ENDF control over the wider Tigray region and any collateral damage or displacement in the capital have yet to be independently verified.
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
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