Ethiopian government forces and allied militia have entered the strategic northern Tigray towns of Adwa and Adigrat following the withdrawal of Tigrayan rebel fighters. Federal forces also retook the regional capital of Mekelle, enabling Ethiopian Airlines to resume flights for the first time since October 3, 2026. The offensive comes amid escalating regional friction, with Ethiopia accusing Eritrea of deploying troops to support the rebels and the two nations cutting diplomatic ties. UN Secretary-General António Guterres has urged an immediate end to hostilities.
Ethiopian forces enter Adwa
- ▪Ethiopian federal troops and allied militia entered the strategic town of Adwa in Tigray near the Eritrean border, according to residents reported on October 12, 2026.
- ▪Ethiopian government forces entered the town of Adigrat in northern Tigray near the border with Eritrea by October 12, 2026.
Government troops retake Mekelle
- ▪Ethiopian government-allied forces retook the Tigray regional capital of Mekelle following renewed clashes with the Tigray People's Liberation Front.
- ▪Ethiopian Airlines resumed flights to Mekelle for the first time after Tigrayan rebels withdrew from the airport on October 3, 2026.
- ▪Former Tigray leader Getachew Reda, currently serving as an adviser to Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, promised visible change in the Tigray region.
Tigrayan rebel withdrawal
- ▪Tigrayan rebels seized the Mekelle airport on September 23, 2026, before withdrawing on October 3, 2026, allowing government-allied forces to enter the city.
- ▪Tigrayan rebel fighters withdrew from the northern Tigray towns of Adwa and Adigrat prior to the entry of Ethiopian government forces on October 12, 2026.
Ethiopia-Eritrea diplomatic breakdown
- ▪The entry of Ethiopian government forces into northern Tigray towns near the border heightened geopolitical tensions between Ethiopia and Eritrea.
- ▪Ethiopia and Eritrea severed diplomatic ties during the week preceding October 12, 2026, as military advancements increased regional hostility.
Eritrea troop involvement allegations
- ▪Eritrea denied Ethiopian allegations of supporting Tigrayan rebels and urged the United Nations to intervene in the conflict.
- ▪The Ethiopian government accused neighbouring Eritrea of supporting Tigrayan rebels and sending Eritrean troops across the border.
UN calls for dialogue
- ▪United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres urged all parties in the Ethiopian conflict to end hostilities and resume dialogue.
- ▪Eritrea formally requested intervention from the United Nations following Ethiopian allegations of Eritrean cross-border military support for Tigrayan rebels.
Debatable claims
- ▪Ethiopian federal troop deployment into Tigray border towns is justified to restore state authority
- ▪The United Nations should intervene to mediate the growing conflict between Ethiopia and Eritrea
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