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France 24
France 24
World
FRANCE 24

Ethiopia's Tigray rebels abandon regional capital Mekelle as government forces enter city

Members of the Tigrayan forces sit along a street in Mekelle in the Tigray region on September 24, 2026.
File photo: Members of the Tigrayan forces sit along a street as they patrol Mekelle, Tigray region, September 24, 2026. © Reuters (File)

Ethiopian federal forces have entered the capital of the northern Tigray region and seized its airport, witnesses said Saturday, reversing a takeover by rebels from the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF) that prompted the suspension of commercial flights last month. The TPLF has been fighting against pro-government forces since September 23, raising fears of an all-out civil war similar to that of 2020-2022.

Ethiopian federal forces entered the Tigray state capital on Saturday, a humanitarian source told AFP, after residents reported that the region's rebels had abandoned the city.

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