Tigray rebels reported to be leaving Mekelle as federal forces claim airport
Tigray rebels are reported to be leaving Mekelle while Ethiopian federal forces and allies say they have taken the city's airport, with looting and humanitarian concerns reported.
The Full Story
A plain summary built from the channels that reported this story.
Reports from northern Ethiopia suggest the conflict may have reached a turning point. Tigrayan rebels are said to be abandoning Mekelle, the regional capital, while Ethiopian federal forces and their allies claim control of the city's airport. The reported withdrawal comes about ten days after Tigrayan forces launched an offensive against the federal government, and almost two weeks after the wider escalation began in northern Ethiopia.
Residents of Mekelle have said soldiers and equipment were being loaded onto trucks. There have also been reports of widespread looting. The fighting initially began when Tigrayan forces attacked federal forces in the Afar and Amhara regions. In recent days, the Ethiopian National Defence Force and allied pro-government Tigrayan police and militia have been pushing the Tigray People's Liberation Front and Tigrayan forces back towards Mekelle.
Reports on the latest day said pro-government Tigrayan police, pro-government militia and federal forces had taken control of the regional capital and the airport. Tigrayan forces had seized the airport when the latest escalation began. These accounts cannot be independently verified because phone lines and internet connections in Tigray are down. Journalists have been unable to reach sources, family and friends in the region.
Humanitarian agencies, including Doctors Without Borders, say the situation is not looking okay. Doctors working on the border between Amhara and Tigray report that many civilians have been killed. The humanitarian situation in Tigray remains grave, with limited access and no clear picture of civilian casualties.
The capture of Mekelle airport, if confirmed, could change the course of this phase of the conflict. But it does not mean the war will end soon. Fighting is continuing in other states of the country.
On screen
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Key Claims
Claims reported during this story's coverage, grouped by how many channels reported each one. Select a dot to see the source excerpt.
| Claim |  |
|---|---|
| Only on one channel | |
| Communications to Tigray were down, limiting verification of events. | |
| Government forces and allied forces claimed control of Mekelle airport. | |
| Residents in Mekelle reported military personnel and equipment being loaded onto trucks. | |
Channel Perspectives
What each channel focused on, with key quotes.
The report framed the rebel withdrawal and airport claim as a possible decisive moment but stressed that the war will not end soon. It gave space to the correspondent's timeline, reports of looting, and the lack of communications in Tigray. It also noted civilian deaths and aid agencies' warnings, while the bulletin carried unrelated Ukraine and oil items at the end.
- “It's been almost two weeks since the Apis escalation began in northern Ethiopia.”
- “today we're hearing that the Tigrayan police forces, the pro-government militia and the federal forces have taken control of the regional capital, Mekelle, in the airport which was seized by Tigrayan forces when this escalation resumed.”
- “Phone lines are down. There is no internet. We couldn't speak to our sources in Tigray region, our family and friends.”
Broadcast Timeline
News broadcasts tracked for this story, in time order.