Brief
Ethiopian police deploy in Mekelle after TPLF forces withdraw
Federal officers and allied forces took positions in the Tigray capital as local administration remained vacant.
By Felo News Desk · Published
Ethiopia's federal police spread across Mekelle on Friday after the Tigray People’s Liberation Front announced it had pulled its fighters from the city over the weekend, the Independent reported. The withdrawal followed a brief period in which the rebels seized the airport and parts of the capital, then announced the pullout to spare the city from further damage.
Police and members of the government‑aligned Tigray Peace Force, which includes former TPLF combatants, set up a curfew on Wednesday and remained on duty Friday. Federal officers stood beside camouflage‑painted pickups on a tree‑lined road, while other vehicles moved through the intersection. No new civilian administration had taken office by Friday morning, and local TV and radio stations stayed off the air.
The government pledged to restore banking, electricity, telecommunications and water services, but gave no timetable. It also said it would register participants in the conflict and assist their return to civilian life.
Separate reports cited by the article said Eritrean troops entered the northern towns of Adigrat on Tuesday and Idaga Hamus on Wednesday, raising concerns of a wider regional clash.
Key facts
- Federal police and the Tigray Peace Force entered Mekelle on Friday after the TPLF withdrew. (independent.co.uk)
- The TPLF had seized Mekelle airport and parts of the city before announcing the pullout. (independent.co.uk)
- Eritrean troops were reported entering Adigrat and Idaga Hamus earlier in the week. (independent.co.uk)
Sources
- [1] independent.co.uk — originally reported as “Ethiopian police ask residents in Tigray regional capital to help restore order after rebel pullout”
