Story perspectives

TPLF Withdraws, Federal Forces Enter Mekelle, Services Promised

By Drooid · Oct 9, 2026, 5:01 PM UTC · How we work

Summary

Federal Police Enter Mekelle

Federal police and the Tigray Peace Force entered Mekelle after the Tigray People’s Liberation Front withdrew.
Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s government pledged to restore banking, electricity, telecommunications and water services in Mekelle.
ACLED reported Eritrean troops crossed into northern Tigray at Zelambesa on October 7.
Communication Minister Enatalem Melese demanded immediate withdrawal of all foreign forces from Ethiopian territory.

Summary

Ethiopian Airlines Suspend Flights

Armed TPLF groups are forcibly recruiting men and boys as young as 15, intensifying civilian involvement.
Humanitarian sources estimate at least 150,000 people displaced across Tigray and Afar since late September.
A drone strike hit an aid truck carrying 41.006 metric tonnes of food and injured a 13-year-old girl.
Ethiopian Airlines suspended flights to and from Tigray after federal forces seized Mekelle airport, leaving residents stranded.

History

Historical Context

The Eritrean–Ethiopian War began on 6 May 1998 after Eritrean officials were killed near Badme and Ethiopia declared total war on 13 May, escalating into a two-year conflict that killed over 70,000 people and displaced hundreds of thousands. The 2000 Algiers Agreement left the Badme border unsettled, and the fragile ceasefire enabled Eritrean troops to re-enter northern Tigray in 2024, drawing renewed African Union and U.S. diplomatic pressure.

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Federal Police Enter Mekelle

Federal police and the Tigray Peace Force entered Mekelle after the Tigray People’s Liberation Front withdrew.
Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s government pledged to restore banking, electricity, telecommunications and water services in Mekelle.
ACLED reported Eritrean troops crossed into northern Tigray at Zelambesa on October 7.
Communication Minister Enatalem Melese demanded immediate withdrawal of all foreign forces from Ethiopian territory.

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