Ethiopian forces retake Mekelle airport in Tigray; US urges restraint as wider war feared

Addis Ababa, October 3 — Ethiopian federal forces on Saturday recaptured Alula Aba Nega Airport in Mekelle, the capital of the Tigray region; an Ethiopian general told the Associated Press "the military is in full control of the airport," and three sources confirmed the takeover to Reuters. The advance is a major setback for the TPLF-led opposition alliance, which seized the airport on September 23 — the worst escalation since the 2020–2022 civil war that killed more than 600,000 people. TPLF leader Debretsion Gebremichael said on Thursday his forces would continue guerrilla attacks, as after losing Mekelle in 2020. US State Department spokesman Tommy Pigott urged both sides to "exercise maximum restraint" and return to dialogue under their 2018 peace framework; Ethiopia this week severed diplomatic ties with Eritrea, accusing it of backing the rebels — a claim Eritrea denies.

Source: Reuters (via Devdiscourse), October 3, 2026. https://www.devdiscourse.com/article/international/3986389-ethiopia-government-forces-retake-airport-in-tigrays-capital-sources-say