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Fighting Continues in Tigray Despite Federal Capture of Mekelle, With Hundreds Reported Dead
Battles are still under way in Ethiopia’s Tigray region even after federal forces re-entered the regional capital Mekelle less than two weeks after fighting resumed in late September. Hundreds of people, including dozens killed in drone and air force strikes, are reported dead, underscoring how fragile Ethiopia’s internal balance remains.
Ethiopian federal troops have retaken Mekelle, the capital of the northern Tigray region, but fighting has continued, with clashes and airstrikes still reported and hundreds of people said to have been killed since hostilities resumed in late September.
Federal forces entered Mekelle less than two weeks after government troops and fighters from the Tigray People’s Liberation Front went back to war, ending a period of uneasy calm. The Tigray side described its departure from the city and other major towns as a strategic withdrawal rather than a defeat.
Reports from the ground say that hundreds of people have died in the renewed violence, including dozens killed in drone strikes and air force bombings. Exact casualty numbers remain uncertain because of limited access and competing accounts, but the reported deaths indicate a conflict that has quickly intensified despite the federal government’s symbolic gain in Mekelle.
For civilians in Tigray, ongoing combat means displacement, disrupted food supplies and the return of fear of air attacks that had eased during quieter months. People living near suspected positions or infrastructure linked to the Tigray forces face the risk of drone and air force strikes that, while aimed at military objectives, can hit populated areas or force large-scale flight. Health services, already weakened by earlier phases of the war, are being asked to handle new trauma cases alongside routine care.
On the battlefield, the declared strategic withdrawal by Tigrayan units points to a shift toward more mobile operations outside major towns. That could turn parts of Tigray back into contested territory where control changes frequently and local commanders make many of the day-to-day decisions. Federal forces holding Mekelle and other urban centres while pursuing opponents in difficult terrain will need sustained supplies, air support and political backing from Addis Ababa.
The wider stakes go beyond Tigray itself. Ethiopia is Africa’s second most populous country and a key state for stability in the Horn of Africa, hosting the African Union’s headquarters and large refugee populations from neighbouring countries. Prolonged fighting in the north risks new regional strains, tensions with Eritrea and complications for African Union or other mediation efforts seeking a settlement.
The reported use of drones and air force assets at scale raises fresh concerns about civilian protection and accountability. Drones reduce danger to pilots but can make frequent strikes easier to carry out and harder to scrutinize, complicating later investigations into possible violations. International agencies are likely to monitor patterns of strikes and any sign that security justifications are again being used to limit humanitarian access.
Holding a regional capital does not guarantee control of the region when an armed movement still has fighters, support networks and detailed knowledge of the terrain.
Indicators to watch in the coming days include whether Tigrayan units launch coordinated counterattacks or focus on smaller, hit-and-run actions, whether the federal government announces new security measures or arrests in Mekelle, and whether humanitarian organisations report changes in access to rural districts. Diplomatic signals at the African Union or United Nations will also show how much external pressure Addis Ababa faces to pair military moves with a political process.