Ethiopian forces close in on Tigray capital Mekelle as fears of wider war grow

Ethiopian government forces closed in on Mekelle, the capital of the northern rebel stronghold of Tigray, on Friday, residents and a diplomat told Reuters, in the worst escalation of violence since the 2020-2022 civil war.

Banks and shops in the city were closed, with the Ethiopian National Defence Force and allied militiamen reported to be within striking distance, two residents, who asked not to be named for security reasons, told Reuters. The pro-government Tigray Peace Forces militia said on Thursday it had captured a town about 75 km south of Mekelle; one resident said federal forces were now within 30 km.

The advance marks a sharp reversal: the TPLF and its allied fighters made initial gains in the neighbouring Amhara and Afar regions after combat erupted last week, but pro-government forces say those have been largely reversed.

TPLF chairperson Debretsion Gebremichael acknowledged on Thursday that federal forces had occupied some parts of the region but said his forces would counter-attack “in due course”. “We should ensure that Tigray is their graveyard, not their playground,” he said in a statement.

Explosions were heard late on Wednesday night in Addis Ababa, in what a source linked to the opposition alliance said were drone attacks targeting the ENDF headquarters and other sites. Reuters said it could not independently verify this; if confirmed, it would be the first known drone attack by anti-government forces on the capital, hundreds of kilometres from the northern front lines.

Spokespeople for Ethiopia’s military and government did not respond to requests for comment on the reported advance or the suspected attacks on Addis Ababa.

Analysts fear the conflict could spread beyond Ethiopia’s borders. Ethiopia has accused Eritrea, Sudan and Egypt of supporting the opposition alliance, an allegation all three have denied. On Thursday, Ethiopia’s foreign ministry expelled an Egyptian diplomat, prompting Cairo to respond in kind by expelling an Ethiopian embassy counsellor, and the African Union Commission urged Ethiopia, Eritrea and Egypt to exercise “maximum restraint”.

Sources

• Reuters, “Ethiopian forces near Tigray capital, fears grow of wider conflict”, 2 October 2026 — https://www.reuters.com/world/africa/ethiopian-forces-near-tigray-capital-fears-grow-wider-conflict-2026-10-02/
• Al Jazeera, “Blasts heard in Addis Ababa as Ethiopia conflict widens in the north”, 1 October 2026 (corroboration of government advance toward Mekelle) — https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/10/1/blasts-heard-in-addis-ababa-as-ethiopia-conflict-widens-in-the-north

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