The conflict in northern Ethiopia intensified after TPLF attacks into Afar and Amhara prompted a government counter-offensive and diplomatic ruptures with Eritrea and Egypt. Pro-government forces claim to have seized Mekelle Alula Aba Nega Airport about 10 km from Mekelle, though independent verification is lacking due to communications blackouts. Drone strikes reportedly reached Addis Ababa, and humanitarian sources warn of looting, destruction and limited access to food in the north. The African Union has called for restraint as regional tensions rise.
Pro-Government Militias Claim Capture Of Mekelle Airport As Regional Tensions Surge
The buidling of the Tigray TV broadcaster was hit by a drone strike on Sunday as violence flared (-)
Pro-government militias in Ethiopia on Friday claimed they had seized Mekelle Alula Aba Nega Airport, about 10 kilometres from the Tigrayan regional capital, as fighting in the north escalates and diplomatic ties frayed with Eritrea and Egypt. The assertion could not be independently verified amid significant communications disruptions and restricted access to the affected areas.
Frontlines
Clashes erupted last week after the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF) launched attacks into the Afar and Amhara regions, raising fears of a return to large-scale conflict similar to the 2020–2022 civil war. The federal government says it has launched a counter-offensive, advancing along three axes toward Mekelle, according to the Critical Threats Project at the American Enterprise Institute.
In a post on X, the pro-government Tigray Peace Force said it had "taken full control of Mekelle Alula Aba Nega Airport." Conflict monitors warned that media were largely prevented from traveling to front-line zones and that communications blackouts make independent confirmation difficult. ACLED reported that pro-government forces retook the Afar towns of Abala, Erebti and Megale.
Diplomatic Fallout
Ethiopia on Thursday expelled 10 Eritrean diplomats and announced the closure of its embassy in Asmara; Eritrea said it would "sever all diplomatic ties." Ethiopia also expelled an Egyptian diplomat, prompting a reciprocal move by Cairo. Relations between Addis Ababa and Cairo were already strained over the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam, and Egypt has recently strengthened contacts with Eritrea.
TPLF leader Debretsion Gebremichael said in a video posted late Thursday that "the war is regional and it is a war to control the Red Sea," reflecting wider regional concerns about access to the Red Sea and coastline.
Drone Strikes Reach The Capital
For the first time in this flare-up, an explosion was reported at the defence ministry complex in Addis Ababa, home to the Ethiopian National Defence Force headquarters. A diplomatic source told AFP that drone strikes were the "most likely" cause, although imagery or independent confirmation was not available.
Sources said the devices were likely FPV (first-person-view) drones — commercially sourced platforms adapted to carry explosives. Rebel forces have used drones in previous attacks on airbases and airports elsewhere in Ethiopia, and observers say the TPLF has launched a wider drone campaign to demonstrate its reach.
Humanitarian Situation
Humanitarian workers reported raids, destruction of infrastructure and severely constrained access to food and aid in northern areas. One anonymous humanitarian source told AFP that the TPLF had been pushed out of parts of Afar but that the humanitarian situation "has little changed" because of looting and damage to supplies.
Note: Many operational details remain unverified because of communication blackouts and restricted journalist access. International bodies, including the African Union, have urged maximum restraint as the situation develops.
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