Ethiopian government forces seize Tigray capital Mekelle as TPLF withdraws

The group leading an armed Ethiopian opposition alliance says it has withdrawn from Mekelle, the capital of the northern region of Tigray, after an advance by government forces and allied fighters. In a statement on social media late on Saturday, the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) said it had “temporarily moved out of Mekelle” to “operate from somewhere else”. The announcement came hours after Ethiopia’s federal army and pro-government fighters recaptured Mekelle’s main airport. A source close to the Tigray Peace Forces, a pro-government militia, ‌told the Reuters news agency its fighters had entered Mekelle’s centre on Saturday afternoon, followed by the Ethiopian military.