Ethiopian government forces have entered the strategic northwestern Tigray town of Adwa without a fight, residents said, a day after fighters from the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF) withdrew, extending a federal advance that has already retaken the regional capital Mekelle.
Residents of Adwa, roughly 40km (24 miles) from the Eritrean border, said federal forces and an allied militia entered the town on Sunday. TPLF Vice President Amanuel Assefa said he "did not wish to comment".
"All the shops in the town are closed. Last night, many government institutions, including Adwa Hospital, were looted," Aferwerki, a local resident who gave only one name, told AFP.
Another resident, who requested anonymity, confirmed the TPLF withdrawal but said government forces had not yet reached the town centre. "The roads are deserted. People are very afraid of theft," he said.
Conflict monitor ACLED said Ethiopian drone strikes targeted a hotel in Adwa on October 4, wounding between five and nine people, including security personnel, who were taken to hospital. Some ACLED sources indicated TPLF Chairman Debretsion Gebremichael and other senior officials were at the hotel, but stressed the information had not been verified.
The advance follows the capture last week of Tigray's regional capital Mekelle, days after the TPLF confirmed it had withdrawn and moved its regional administration "temporarily" to another location. Ethiopian Airlines resumed flights from Addis Ababa to Mekelle on Sunday for the first time since September 23, when a seven-group armed alliance including the TPLF began fighting Ethiopian forces and captured the airport.
Analysis
Why This Matters
- Adwa sits about 40km from Eritrea's border, and the advance brings federal forces closer to a standoff with Asmara, which has urged the UN to intervene in its dispute with Ethiopia.
- The rapid federal offensive, after the TPLF-led alliance seized territory in late September, raises the risk of a return to large-scale civil conflict in a region devastated by war earlier this decade.
- The resumption of flights to Mekelle signals an effort to restore state control, but residents report looting, closed shops and widespread fear.
Background
Tigray has been the site of a long-running conflict between Ethiopia's federal government and the TPLF, the party that dominated Ethiopian politics for decades and later governed the region. A war that began in late 2020 ended with a peace agreement in late 2022, but tensions persisted. In late September, a seven-group armed alliance including the TPLF began fighting federal forces and captured the airport in Mekelle, prompting the current federal counteroffensive that has now retaken the capital, Adigrat and Adwa. Ethiopia's relationship with neighbouring Eritrea, which fought alongside federal troops in the earlier phase of the conflict, has deteriorated during the current fighting.
Key Perspectives
TPLF: Withdrew its fighters from Adwa and relocated its regional administration from Mekelle on a temporary basis. Its vice president declined to comment on the latest advance.
Ethiopian government: Has captured Adigrat and Mekelle in recent days and moved into Adwa with allied militia support. The resumption of Ethiopian Airlines flights to Mekelle points to restored state control.
Residents: Describe deserted roads, closed shops, looting of government institutions including Adwa Hospital, and fear of theft. One resident noted federal forces were deployed but had not reached the town centre.
Conflict monitors: ACLED documented drone strikes on an Adwa hotel on October 4 that wounded up to nine people, and noted unverified reports that senior TPLF leaders were present at the time.
What to Watch
- Whether federal forces push toward the Eritrean border, given Adwa's location roughly 40km from it.
- Whether the TPLF consolidates in its new temporary location or seeks negotiations after losing Mekelle and Adwa.
- Whether escalating rhetoric between Ethiopia and Eritrea turns into direct confrontation, and how the UN responds to Asmara's request for intervention.
- Whether security in retaken towns stabilises as residents report looting and fear of theft.