Armed forces supporting the Ethiopian government claim to have seized the airport near Mekele, the capital of the Tigray region, from rebel forces following a government counteroffensive amid escalating regional tensions.
On 3 October 2026, the Tigray Peace Force, a government-backed armed group, posted on the platform X that they had fully taken control of Mekele Airport, Alula Aba Nega, near Mekele, the capital of the northern Tigray region, from the rebels after the government launched a fierce counteroffensive against the rebel forces.
Reports indicate that fighting in northern Ethiopia has intensified since last week after the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF) rebels launched attacks in the Afar and Amhara regions.
Furthermore, the conflict has spread to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia’s capital, where an explosion was reported near the Ministry of Defense, the headquarters of the Ethiopian National Defense Forces, late Wednesday into Thursday, raising fears that Ethiopia may return to the severe civil war experienced from 2020 to 2022.
Meanwhile, the Ethiopian government accused neighboring Eritrea of supporting the rebel forces, worsening relations between the two countries. On Thursday, Ethiopia expelled 10 Eritrean diplomats and ordered the closure of the Eritrean embassy in Asmara, while Eritrea announced it would officially sever diplomatic ties with Ethiopia.
Source: BBC