Ethiopian National Defence Force (ENDF) has taken control of the airport of the Tigray regional capital, Mekelle, and is securing the city on October 3 as Tigray and allied forces regroup outside of the city. ENDF forces are expected to have entered the city by the end of today. The occupation of Mekelle marks a significant development in the conflict between the Federal government and the 7 group alliance of armed opposition groups led by the Tigray People’s Liberation Front(TPLF), which began on September 23.

Observers do not see the capture of Mekelle leading to a swift end to the conflict. In the previous conflict between the government and the TPLF, Mekelle was captured within a month of the beginning of the conflict in 2020, but the conflict continued for another two years.