Ethiopian Government-Allied Forces Seize Airport Near Mekelle

Forces loyal to Ethiopia’s government announced on Friday that they had taken control of an airport near Mekelle, as government troops and their allies advanced rapidly in Tigray.

The reported capture placed the airport among the latest gains claimed by pro-government forces in the region. The announcement did not identify the airport.

The advance came as forces from the Tigray People’s Liberation Front withdrew from the Afar region, marking a shift in the fighting across the two regions.

The developments pointed to growing momentum for government forces and their allies. The information provided did not establish whether they had moved into Mekelle itself.