Ethiopian federal forces control Tigray capital as regional rivals meet in Egypt

Ethiopian federal forces were in full control of the Tigray rebels' regional capital, a local journalist said on Sunday, while Ethiopia's regional rivals gathered in Egypt to discuss the risk of a wider war.

The Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF) and federal forces began fighting again on September 23, sparking fears of a return to the devastating civil war of 2020-2022.

The presidents of Egypt, Somalia, Sudan and Eritrea – all of whom have difficult relations with Ethiopia – met in the Egyptian coastal city of El-Alamein on Sunday, calling for regional disputes to be settled through "peaceful means", according to an Egyptian presidency statement.

They also stressed "the necessity of respecting the rules of international law, the principles of good neighbourliness, and non-interference in the internal affairs of states" in the Horn of Africa, the statement read.

Ethiopia has accused Eritrea of directly backing the Tigray rebels, with the added support of Sudan and Egypt, which all three countries deny.

In a counter-offensive, Ethiopian forces have pushed deep into rebel-held territory, entering the regional capital, Mekelle, on Saturday without a fight, as TPLF leaders and troops abandoned the city.

Read moreEthiopia's Tigray rebels abandon regional capital Mekelle as government forces enter city

On Sunday, federal troops were patrolling Mekelle and manning key institutions, a local journalist told AFP, as communications were restored for the first time in more than a week.

"We have taken control of Mekelle and we are marching forward," a commander with a pro-government militia told AFP.

Shops closed

Businesses and shops remained closed. Owners had moved stock to safer locations ahead of time, fearing looting and vandalism.

"There are no police," one resident told AFP, speaking like others on condition of anonymity because of the uncertainty of the situation.

"Last night, we had to organise ourselves and take care of security."

"The fact that the war is beginning to lower in intensity brings some immediate relief," said Tewodros, another resident who did not want to give his full name.

"But as seems to be spreading across the region, I'm scared it will drag on," he added.

There are growing fears the fighting could spill over the border into Eritrea.

Egypt mini-summit

The mini-summit in Alamein – on the sidelines of an African business forum – brought together Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, Eritrean President Isaias Afwerki, Somalian President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud and Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) head Abdel Fattah al-Burhan.

Before the talks, Sisi called for dialogue to settle cross-border issues, as concerns grew that Ethiopia's escalating violence could spill across borders.

Eritrea, which shares a long border with the Tigray region, is most directly involved in the conflict.

It accuses landlocked Ethiopia of planning to invade and seize access to its coastline. Analysts say it has backed the rebels in Ethiopia to try to keep the conflict away from its border.

Read moreEthiopia accuses Eritrea, Sudan of backing Tigray rebels amid clashes

The TPLF has long been the dominant force in Tigray, ousting a government-appointed administration this year.

The rebels' leader, Debretsion Gebremichael, has implied that the group would continue guerrilla-style attacks, as it did when Mekelle fell to government forces in 2020 during the last war.

Their insurgent campaign ultimately led to the TPLF retaking the city the following year.

"We operate under a strategy to strike the enemy wherever we choose," said Debretsion.

'Unilateral'

A joint statement released after Sunday's talks in Egypt expressed the countries' "complete rejection of any unilateral measures" that could harm the existing water use of downstream states.

This comes against the backdrop of Egypt's long-running dispute with Ethiopia over the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) on the Blue Nile.

Cairo and Khartoum have for years sought a legally binding agreement governing the dam's operation, citing concerns over water security. Ethiopia says the project is crucial to its economic development and energy needs.

More than a decade of negotiations have failed to yield a settlement.

The TPLF ruled all of Ethiopia from 1991 until 2018, when it was marginalised with the rise of Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, who hails from the Oromia region.

The tensions led to a civil war from 2020 to 2022 that killed more than 600,000 people, according to the African Union, making it one of the deadliest conflicts in the world in recent times.

The Pretoria peace agreement of 2022, brokered by African institutions and Washington, was never fully implemented but still helped keep a degree of peace until last year.

(FRANCE 24 with AFP)