Ethiopian government forces and allied fighters have seized control of Mekelle, the capital of the northern Tigray region, following the withdrawal of the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF). The TPLF announced its temporary departure from the city late Saturday, stating they would operate from another location.

The development comes after federal troops and pro-government militias advanced into the city, with fighters reportedly entering Mekelle’s center on Saturday afternoon. Sources on the ground confirmed government forces were in control of the city by Sunday, with reports indicating the TPLF had abandoned its regional capital.

This seizure of Mekelle follows hours after Ethiopian federal army and allied fighters recaptured the city’s main airport. A source close to a pro-government militia told Reuters that their fighters entered Mekelle’s center before the Ethiopian military. Humanitarian sources and local residents corroborated that government forces were in control.

The renewed hostilities have raised concerns about a potential wider regional conflict. The TPLF’s withdrawal and the government’s advance mark a significant escalation in the ongoing conflict that erupted after a 2022 peace deal collapsed. The current round of fighting began on September 23.

The conflict between the federal government and Tigrayan forces has a history of devastating consequences. The war that ended with the 2022 peace deal resulted in hundreds of thousands of deaths, displaced millions, and caused widespread destruction. The TPLF, which began as an armed movement in the 1970s, was a dominant force in Ethiopian politics for nearly three decades until Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed took office in 2018.

Relations between Abiy’s government and the TPLF deteriorated significantly, leading to the outbreak of war in November 2020. The recent resurgence of fighting, with the formation of an alliance by seven armed groups against Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s government, signifies a new phase in the long-standing tensions.

Ethiopia has previously accused neighboring Eritrea, Sudan, and Egypt of backing the opposition coalition, accusations that Khartoum and Cairo have denied. Eritrea, which previously fought alongside Ethiopia, has severed diplomatic ties with Addis Ababa over these accusations, adding another layer of regional complexity.

Amidst the escalating tensions, the United States has urged Ethiopia and Eritrea to respect each other’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, calling for restraint and a return to dialogue. The US State Department warned that the increasing tensions have the potential to destabilize the entire region, underscoring the broader implications of the conflict.