Ethiopian rebel forces withdraw from Tigray regional capital

A pro-government soldier standing guard on a street in Ethiopia's Tigray region on Sunday

Rebel forces in Ethiopia's northern Tigray region have said they have temporarily withdrawn from the regional capital, Mekelle, as fighting with the national army moves towards the city.

Two residents in Mekelle told the BBC that pro-government forces now control the city and TPLF forces have abandoned it. One resident also said mobile phone services appear to have resumed in parts of the city.

The development marks a major shift in the conflict and raises concerns among observers that the fighting could further destabilise the Horn of Africa, potentially drawing in neighbouring countries.

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Tigray residents have been trying to recover from a devastating two-year civil war that ended in 2022 when the African Union (AU) brokered a peace deal, known as the Pretoria Agreement, between the two sides.

Last month, the TPLF joined six other armed movements, including the Fano militia from Amhara, to form an alliance whose stated objective is to remove Ethiopia's Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed's government from power.

On Friday, neighbours Ethiopia and Eritrea severed diplomatic relations with each other after Addis Ababa accused Asmara of supporting a new rebel alliance - an allegation that it denied.

The United Nations has warned that the deteriorating security situation in northern Ethiopia is severely disrupting humanitarian work and has called on all sides to guarantee safe and unhindered access to people in need.

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