Ethiopia’s federal army and pro-government fighters have retaken Alula Aba Nega Airport in Mekelle from Tigray rebel forces, according to unnamed sources cited by Reuters. The airport was one of three seized by rebels on September 23. Local journalists and residents reported that the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF) and other fighters were seen retreating from Mekelle. However, federal troops have not yet entered the city center, raising concerns about potential looting and lawlessness among residents.
Written locally by qwen2.5:14b on 2026-10-03,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
In early October, fighting escalated in northern Ethiopia's Tigray region, breaking a fragile peace agreement signed in November 2022. The conflict has now spread to neighboring Amhara and Afar regions, involving multiple armed groups. TPLF, along with six other Ethiopian rebel forces, launched an offensive against the federal government, raising fears of renewed civil war. Pro-government forces have since pushed back, advancing towards Tigray's regional capital, Mekelle. On October 3rd, pro-government militias recaptured Mekelle Alula Aba Nega Airport, though they had not yet secured the city center. Meanwhile, federal troops are reported to be approaching Mekelle as rebel forces and leaders evacuate. The fighting threatens to draw in neighboring countries like Eritrea and potentially escalate into a wider regional conflict. Ethiopia has accused Sudan and Egypt of backing TPLF rebels, exacerbating tensions in the Horn of Africa region. These developments raise concerns about lawlessness and property damage in affected areas as security forces withdraw or are pushed back. Analysts warn that without swift resolution, the conflict could spiral into a broader regional war involving multiple nations.
Written for “Ethiopia Tigray Conflict” on 2026-10-05,
grounded in this article and the 15 other(s) covering the same event.
Ethiopia’s federal army and pro-government fighters have recaptured the main airport in the capital of the northern Tigray region, with the rebels seen leaving the city, according to multiple unnamed sources.
uncertain
rebels → recapture → sources
The Ethiopian National Defence Forces regained control of Alula Aba Nega Airport in Mekelle, one source with knowledge of events in the city and a humanitarian source told Reuters news agency on Saturday.
asserted
source → regain → Saturday
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asserted
conflict → spread → ties
conflict in Ethiopia expand across the region?
asserted
conflict → expand → region
The airport, which is about 10km (6 miles) from the centre of Mekelle, was one of three airfields in the region that were seized by the rebel forces at the start of the fighting on September 23.
asserted
that → seize → September
The fighters, as well as the leaders of the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF), were seen retreating from the city, a local journalist and residents told the AFP news agency.
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journalist → see → agency
The journalist added that federal forces had not yet been seen inside Mekelle.
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forces → add → Mekelle
“I am concerned that government and public property could be exposed to looting because there are no security forces in the city,” a resident told AFP.
uncertain
resident → expose → AFP
“I am worried that lawlessness could spread in the city, and I am also afraid for my life.
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I → spread → life
I want us to quickly return to law and order,” added another resident.
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resident → want → law
Al Jazeera could not independently confirm these claims.
uncertain
Jazeera → confirm → claims
Media access is currently heavily restricted in Ethiopia, and there have been significant communications blackouts.
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access → restrict → Ethiopia
Last month, rebels announced the formation of a seven-party rebel coalition led by the TPLF, the same armed group that fought in the 2020-2022 civil war against federal forces from Addis Ababa.
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that → announce → Ababa
The new coalition includes rebel groups of varying sizes from across the country.
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coalition → include → country
Later that month, the coalition started an offensive, seizing three airports around the contested Tigray state and engaging in fighting on the borders with Amhara and Afar states.
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coalition → start → states
The government is now engaged in a counteroffensive, pushing into Tigrayan territory along three axes towards Mekelle, according to the Critical Threats Project, part of the American Enterprise Institute think tank.
uncertain
government → engage → tank
Fighting has so far been concentrated in Tigray.
asserted
Fighting → concentrate → Tigray
However, rebels have reportedly carried out drone attacks on Addis Ababa.
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rebels → carry → Ababa
The TPLF and government have not commented on developments on the ground.
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TPLF → comment → ground
The fighting has seen drone attacks, intensified forced conscription, and attacks on civilian infrastructure, according to Amnesty International, a global rights group.
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fighting → see → International
The renewed conflict has not yet reached the heights of the Tigray war, which lasted from 2020 to 2022 and saw hundreds of thousands of deaths, but it is quickly taking on an international dimension.
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it → renew → dimension
Risk of conflict spreading
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Risk → spread → conflict
The government of Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed has accused Eritrea, Sudan and Egypt of backing the opposition coalition.
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government → accuse → coalition
Khartoum and Cairo have denied involvement.
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Khartoum → deny → involvement
Eritrea has severed diplomatic ties with Ethiopia over the accusations.
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Eritrea → sever → accusations
On Thursday, Eritrea also denied involvement in the Tigray conflict, and accused Addis Ababa of “pursuing an agenda of incessant hostility”.
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Eritrea → deny → hostility
It also said Ethiopia, which is landlocked, was planning to invade Eritrea to secure sovereign access to the Red Sea coast.
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which → say → coast
The TPLF’s leader, Debretsion Gebremichael, said in a video published on Thursday that “the war is regional and it is a war to control the Red Sea”.
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it → say → Sea
Ethiopia has previously ruled out seeking conflict with Eritrea over access to the coast.
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Ethiopia → rule → coast
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