Ethiopian allies push in Tigray as TPLF pulls back from Mekelle

Government-allied forces in Ethiopia were fighting to reclaim more territory in the Tigray region on Tuesday, with a commander saying drone strikes were being used as anti-government forces pulled back from the regional capital, Mekelle. The developments come after the Tigray People's Liberation Front, or TPLF, said over the weekend that it was withdrawing from the city.

The latest fighting has raised fresh concerns over the November 2022 peace agreement that ended a two-year war. Last month, the TPLF joined six other opposition groups in an alliance seeking to remove Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, and clashes between that alliance and government forces intensified late last month.

Ermiyas Ababu, a Tigray Peace Force commander in the zone that includes Mekelle, said his group was working with the Ethiopian National Defence Force to widen its control. He said his group's "mission is to control the state of Tigray and free it from the TPLF rebels". He also said drone strikes were being carried out, though he did not say whether he meant Tigray Peace Force fighters or federal forces. Ermiyas further alleged that Eritrean troops were present in northern Tigray.

His account of the drone strikes and the alleged Eritrean military presence could not be independently verified. Eritrea has denied Ethiopia's allegations that it is backing the TPLF, and has said Ethiopia is trying to find a scapegoat for its internal conflict. Last week, Eritrea said it was cutting diplomatic ties after Ethiopia expelled 10 Eritrean diplomats and shut its embassy in Asmara.

In Mekelle, Ermiyas said his group and federal troops had taken control of the city, and that his fighters were policing it to prevent looting. Government-allied fighters entered Mekelle on Sunday after the TPLF announced its withdrawal. The Tigray Peace Force includes former members of the TPLF's armed wing.

Residents described a cautious return to normal life, with people back on the streets and motorised rickshaws carrying passengers again, though shortages of supplies and cash continued to affect daily life. "The market has resumed, but for everyone to gain confidence, all markets need to open fully," Mekelle resident Ahmedin Mohammed said. "There are only limited essential groceries available," he said, adding that the rickshaws, known locally as bajajs, had made local travel easier at affordable fares.

Another resident, Birhanu Araya, said access to money remained a major problem after he bought household supplies. "The main issue for the public right now is the lack of cash. If there were cash, business activity would pick up even more," he said. "People were staying home out of fear, but now there is some movement."

The strain of the conflict was also evident among some of the fighters who entered the city. Speaking in Mekelle on Sunday, Tigray Peace Force member Alemat Solomon said there was little cause for celebration. "The youth of Tigray have been left behind compared to the rest of Ethiopia. They have been set back. We weren't building and developing. We were at war," he said in Tigrinya.

The renewed conflict has put the 2022 peace deal under pressure. TPLF fighters seized Mekelle airport on September 23, leading Ethiopian Airlines to suspend flights to Mekelle, Axum and Shire, before federal forces later retook the airport. The latest developments in Mekelle reflect both the shifting military situation and the continuing hardship for people in Tigray.