Ethiopian gov’t-aligned group claims close to full control of Tigray region

Eritrea severs diplomatic ties with Ethiopia in row over Tigray An armed group aligned with the Ethiopian government has said it is close to gaining full control of the conflict-stricken northern Tigray region. The commander of the Tigray Peace Forces (TPF) declared on social media late on Thursday that Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) forces had been wiped out. The claim, which could not be immediately verified by Al Jazeera, came after fighting resumed between Ethiopian federal forces – including the TPF – and an opposition alliance led by the TPLF in September. Residents told the Reuters news agency on Friday that Ethiopian ⁠government forces were closing on the region’s capital Mekelle.