Ethiopian police enter Mekelle to restore order after rebel pullout
Ethiopian federal police deployed across Mekelle on Friday to establish a new city administration. Officers used loudspeakers to address residents following the withdrawal of rebel fighters from the regional capital. Government-allied forces entered the area over the weekend.
No civilian administration had officially taken office in the city by Friday morning. New officials arrived on Thursday. They said they were still awaiting official instructions.
The Tigray People’s Liberation Front seized the Mekelle airport and surrounding areas late last month. The group formed an alliance with six opposition factions to oppose Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed. Rebel forces announced their withdrawal on Saturday to prevent destruction across the regional capital.
Security duties shifted to federal police and the government-allied Tigray Peace Force. The local force includes former members of the armed wing of the rebel group. The force imposed an overnight curfew on Wednesday across local neighborhoods.
Officers carrying rifles stood beside camouflage vehicles along a tree-lined road on Thursday. Prime Minister Abiy promised to restore banking, power, telecommunications and water services. Federal officials provided no timetable for the return of basic public utilities.
The government also announced plans to register former fighters for civilian reintegration in Mekelle. Regional tensions increased further north.
Tigray Peace Force commander Ermiyas Ababu said Eritrean personnel entered Adigrat on Tuesday. Ababu said additional troops entered Idaga Hamus on Wednesday. The Armed Conflict Location & Event Data monitoring group reported border crossings at Zelambesa.
The monitoring group said Ethiopian drone strikes hit the foreign troops at Guada on Wednesday. The Associated Press could not independently verify either account of the troop movements.
Eritrean Information Minister Yemane Gebremeskel released a statement addressing the reports. Gebremeskel said: “We are not in the business of refuting wild allegations or narratives.” He said Ethiopia threatened regional peace through its pursuit of sea access.
Ethiopia expelled 10 diplomats and closed its embassy in Asmara last week. Eritrea then severed diplomatic ties. Eritrean President Isaias Afwerki previously dismissed past wartime abuse accusations as a fantasy in 2023.
Regional peace agreements in Ethiopia establish frameworks to disarm armed factions and rebuild local governance. Federal police forces typically deploy to secure urban infrastructure during transitional periods following armed conflict. Local administrations coordinate essential utility restoration and civil service resumption for urban residents.
Ethiopian officials said on Monday that the nation remains committed to dialogue with neighbors. Abiy stated on Monday that landlocked Ethiopia requires access to the Red Sea. Federal authorities continue security operations to stabilize Mekelle.
