Ethiopian government forces and allied fighters say they have widened their control across Tigray and moved into the historic city of Aksum, as fighting in the northern region goes on.
The pro-government Tigray Peace Force (TPF) also claimed on Thursday that troops from neighbouring Eritrea had pulled back toward the border. Its spokesperson, Solomon Hailemariam, said Eritrean forces had suffered significant casualties. Eritrea’s Information Minister, Yemane Gebremeskel, rejected the claims as false, and the reported losses could not be independently verified.
Independent monitor records troop movements in Aksum and Zalambessa
The Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project (ACLED), an independent conflict-monitoring group, documented Ethiopian government forces and TPF fighters entering Aksum, while rival Tigrayan fighters remained in the nearby mountains. It also reported Eritrean troops withdrawing across the border through Zalambessa after Ethiopian forces and their allies advanced into several strategic towns.
ACLED further recorded Ethiopian tanks and heavy weapons moving towards the Eritrean border on Tuesday, a development that has raised fears of a possible clash between the two neighbours.
Zalambessa residents describe fear after a week without power
A resident of Zalambessa, Selam, whose first name was changed for security reasons, told a news agency on Thursday: “Ethiopian troops are on one side, and Eritrean troops are on the other.” The agency reported that there was no fighting in the town at that point, but it had been without power or water for a week.
Another local resident quoted by the agency said: “We are caught in the middle and living in deep anxiety.”
Accusations and denials over Eritrea, Sudan and Egypt
Addis Ababa has accused Eritrea, Sudan and Egypt of backing a rebel alliance of seven groups fighting the government of Abiy Ahmed. Eritrea denies sending forces into Tigray to support the armed opposition and accuses Ethiopia of threatening its sovereignty. Khartoum and Cairo also deny involvement.
Eritrea, which fought alongside Ethiopia’s federal army in the 2020-2022 war, severed diplomatic ties with Ethiopia over the accusations earlier this month. The TPF backs the federal government’s campaign against Tigrayan rebels linked to the TPLF. Ethiopian forces captured Mekelle earlier this month, and the TPLF confirmed it had withdrawn and moved its regional administration “temporarily” elsewhere.
Government forces also retook Adwa and Adigrat without a fight, and reports point to advances in Rama, close to the Eritrean border. On Wednesday, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio called for de-escalation in a call with Prime Minister Abiy. According to a US Department of State statement, Rubio said the region could not tolerate more conflict.
